Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction November 2010
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/16/2010
The United States entered the international hockey spotlight when it won the inaugural World Cup of Hockey in 1996. The finals showed that the U.S. National Team was the equal of the game’s best. Team USA, coached by Ron Wilson, was the surprise champion, beating Canada in the best-of-three finals. Its roster was a who's who of players who were headliners for more than a decade. With tremendous goaltending by Mike Richter and impressive firepower and balance, the team triumphed and set the stage for a surge of American hockey talent that continues to provide the NHL with elite players.
USA enjoyed early success in the tournament, defeating Canada 5-3 to finish first and get a bye to the semi-finals. In the semis, they clobbered Russia 5-2, to move on to the finals against Canada. The best-of-three final saw Canada win the first game in Philadelphia, 4-3 in overtime. Then the USA recorded a memorable 5-2 victory in Montreal to force another match. In the third and decisive game, the U.S. received spectacular goaltending from tournament MVP Mike Richter and rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the third period by scoring four goals in the final 3:18 of the game to take home the Cup.
Team USA wore these blue Nike uniforms during one of the two exhibition matches against Canada in August 1996 and then again during the tournament on September 3 against Slovakia. USA easily handled the Slovaks with a final score of 9-3. The jersey is tagged in the collar by Nike with its inventory bar code heat-pressed into the inner lower hem. All numbers, lettering and cresting are sewn on and the World Cup of Hockey Patch sits up on the left shoulder.
Joel Otto showed up and saw action in all seven games played by Team USA throughout the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Otto wore this shirt on the night of September 3rd against Slovakia, scoring the first goal of the third period in a 9-3 win for USA. Size 58 with Joel's name and number "29" on the back. A nice scuff shows up on the left arm with a stick mark running through the number on the same sleeve adds to a light stick mark on the front crest to tell the tale of the game wear. Comes with a letter of authenticity from the NHLPA.
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