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ON FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 22 1980, THE USA OLYMPIC HOCKEY TEAM DEFEATED THE VAUNTED SOVIET UNION 4 TO 3 IN THE SEMI FINAL MATCH AT LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK. IT WAS THE SINGLE GREATEST UPSET IN THE HISTORY OF SPORTS. IN THE BOOK, MAGICIAN'S ON ICE, AUTHOR TIMOTHY J. THOMPSON DESCRIBES IN DETAIL THE ORIGINS OF THE GREAT SOVIET HOCKEY DYNASTY. HE TRACES THE ROOTS OF HOCKEY IN RUSSIA, EXAMINES THE SOVIET PHLOSOPHY WITH REGARD TO THE SPORT, DISCUSSES THEIR UNIQUE TRAINING METHODS, AND PROVIDES THE READER WITH BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE TWO PATRIARCHS OF SOVIET HOCKEY. THE SECOND HALF OF THE BOOK TAKES THE READER THOUGH EACH GAME THE SOVIETS PLAYED IN THE 1954 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. YOU WILL READ ABOUT UNPRECEDENTED OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER, SPECTACULAR GOAL TENDING, AND TREMENDOUS VICTORIES. THERE ARE 10 WONDERFUL PHOTOGRAPGHS INCLUDED FOR THE READERS' ENJOYMENT, ALONG WITH A FULL AND COMPREHENSIVE INDEX THAT MAKES IT QUITE EASY TO FIND OUT INTERESTING TIDBITS OF INFO AT THE DROP OF A HAT. THE SOVIETS HAD THE SINGLE GREATEST DYNASTY IN THE HISTORY OF HOCKEY. THIS FANTASTIC BOOK TELLS HOW IT ALL BEGAN.