LAKE PLACID, NY -- On Tuesday, June 22, the Lake Placid Olympic Museum will be unveiling a new exhibition of the Olympic jersey from one of the heroes of the 1980 U.S. “Miracle On Ice” hockey team, Steve Christoff.

During the 1980 Olympic Games, Christoff played in all seven tournament games; scoring two goals and one assist. As a member of the U.S. national hockey team, he scored 34 goals and 64 points in as many games.

Before joining the 1980 Olympic squad, Christoff, who was raised in Richfield, Minn., was selected 24^th overall in the NHL’s 1978 entry draft by Minnesota.  Following the Games, the center joined the North Stars for the final 20 games of the NHL season and contributed eight goals and seven assists.

Christoff spent four seasons in the league.  Although he was one of the North Star’s most popular players, the team traded him to the Calgary Flames in 1982 where he scored nine goals in 45 games.  The Flames dealt him to the Los Angeles Kings the following season, where he finished out his professional hockey career.  He played in 248 games, scoring 77 goals and 141 points.

Today, the 55 year-old Christoff works as a pilot and he was chosen to be one of the 50 greatest players in the University of Minnesota hockey history.  As a Golden Gopher, from 1976-‘79, he helped to lead the team to the 1979 NCAA national championship crown. 

On loan from Mr. Todd Patkin, Christoff’s Olympic gold medal and jersey are a worthy addition to the museum’s already extensive collection of artifacts from the 1980 U.S. Hockey Team, which include among other items, the handmade bullwhip presented by the players to Herb Brooks and made famous in the Disney film “Miracle.”

As part of Lake Placid’s Olympic Day celebrations, those wearing red, white and blue or USA apparel will be admitted free of charge and will also gain free admittance to the U.S. Women’s National Team hockey scrimmage at 4 p.m. in the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena. An autograph session featuring all players and staff will follow, held exclusively for those attending.

While the museum highlights both the Lake Placid 1932 and 1980 Olympic Winter Games, it also features memorabilia from every Olympic Winter Games, dating back to 1924, including the first-ever awarded Winter Olympic gold medal, won by American speed skater and Lake Placid native Charles Jewtraw. Other displays include several mascots and torches from several summer and winter Olympics, and memorabilia from three-time Olympic figure skating champion Sonja Henie.

The Lake Placid Olympic Museum is the only official Olympic museum in the United States.  Its collection is one of the largest of its kind, second only the Olympic museum in Luzerne, Switzerland.

The Lake Placid Olympic Museum is open seven days a week, 10 am to 5pm. Regular admission price is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, students and juniors (12 and under), and free for children six and under. Admission to the museum is also included in the purchase of the Olympic Sites Passport and Gold Pass.

For more information about the Lake Placid Olympic Museum visit http://www.whiteface.com/facilities/olympic-center/olympic-museum

And don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/lake.placid.olympic.museum.

-- ORDA --

Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore Mountain ski areas; the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; the Olympic speed skating oval, Olympic jumping complex and Olympic arena. As host to international and national championships, the Authority has brought millions of athletes, spectator and participants to the region, resulting in significant economic development.