Disgrace at Inwood: Pre-Tournament Favourites Humiliated Again as Americans Run Riot

Disgrace at Inwood: Pre-Tournament Favourites Humiliated Again as Americans Run Riot

Czechoslovakia fall 10–7, collapse to 1–3 — tied with Sweden at the bottom while the Americans waltz to 3–0

Inwood Ice Arena · April 22, 1980 · By Viktor Novotný, Senior Correspondent

INWOOD — Someone must say it plainly, so allow this correspondent the honour: what we witnessed Tuesday night at Inwood Ice Arena was not merely a loss. It was an embarrassment. A humiliation. A catastrophe of organisation, nerve, and collective will that would shame a club of schoolboys, let alone the pre-tournament favourites of the 2026 1980 Olympic Spring Classic.

Czechoslovakia — Czechoslovakia, the side that arrived here expecting to lift the trophy — now sits at 1–3, tied at the very bottom of the standings with Sweden, a nation nobody feared coming in and fears even less now. The Americans, meanwhile, those brash, disorganised, self-congratulatory Americans, skate off to 3–0 and the sole possession of first place. Unbeaten. Untouched. Apparently unstoppable, though one hesitates to grant them even that dignity when the opposition has done so much to assist them.

Dj Orzechowski and Mark Kranz each contributed two assists — respectable, fine, acceptable. Dan Kenney chipped in one. But seven goals from one forward and the scoreboard still reads 10–7 in the Americans' favour tells you everything you need to know about the state of this Czechoslovak side. Cankar deserved better. The nation deserved better.And the Americans — credit where it is grudgingly due — they converted. Of course they did. Eric Jokisch, who carries the look of a man who has never once doubted himself, scored five times. Bob Porter added two. But what is truly galling, what will keep this correspondent awake long into the night, is that it was not even their stars that carved us apart....