Steve Janaszak
Born (1957-01-07) January 7, 1957
Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Minnesota North Stars
Colorado Rockies
National team  United States
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 19791983
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1980 Lake PlacidTeam

Steven James Janaszak (born January 7, 1957) is an American former ice hockey goaltender who played three games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Minnesota North Stars and Colorado Rockies between 1980 and 1982.

Amateur career

Janaszak first became known in the hockey world as the star goaltender for Hill-Murray School on the East Side of Saint Paul. Janaszak attended the University of Minnesota where he was a goaltender for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He was voted most valuable player in the 1979 national championship tournament as the Gophers won the NCAA title. Janaszak is best known for being the back-up goalie to Jim Craig on the Miracle on Ice 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that won the gold medal. Janaszak was the only member of the team to not appear in any of the games at the Olympics.

Professional career

Janaszak signed a free agent contract with the North Stars after the Olympics and appeared in one regular season game that season, a solid 2–2 draw against the Buffalo Sabres. Unfortunately for Janaszak, the North Stars already had two quality goaltenders in Gilles Meloche and Gary Edwards, so there was no room for him. After spending the next season in the minor leagues, Janaszak returned to the NHL with the Colorado Rockies, who had signed him as a free agent soon after the end of the 1979-80 season. He also played three games for Team USA as Glenn Resch's backup at the 1982 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Helsinki, before retiring from the game after the 1982–83 season.

In the 1981 TV movie about the gold medal-winning U.S. hockey team called Miracle on Ice, Janaszak does not appear as a character, but rather in archival footage of the gold medal ceremony.

He is played by Sam Skoryna in the 2004 Disney film Miracle.

Life outside sports

He met his future wife, who was working as an interpreter during the 1980 Olympics in the athlete village, and they were married a year later. He works as an investment manager on Long Island, N.Y.[1]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPWLTMINGASOGAASV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1971–72 Hill-Murray School HS-MN
1972–73 Hill-Murray School HS-MN
1973–74 Hill-Murray School HS-MN
1974–75 Hill-Murray School HS-MN
1975–76 University of Minnesota B-10 41202402105.25
1976–77 University of Minnesota B-10 1769211008604.69
1977–78 University of Minnesota B-10 2814102165310633.85
1978–79 University of Minnesota B-10 4129111242813113.23
1979–80 United States National Team Intl 1723.15
1979–80 Minnesota North Stars NHL 100160202.00.929
1979–80 Oklahoma City Stars CHL 110060202.00
1979–80 Tulsa Oilers CHL 101059606.10
1979–80 Baltimore Clippers EHL 42191905.21
1980–81 Fort Worth Texans CHL 60603572604.37
1980–81 Fort Wayne Komets IHL 42219613003.55 3104704.04
1981–82 Colorado Rockies NHL 20101001307.80.857
1982–83 Wichita Wind CHL 3513181199614704.42
NHL totals 30111601505.63.874

International

Year Team Event GPWLTMINGASOGAASV%
1982 United States WJC 31801705.56
Senior totals 31801705.56

Awards and achievements

Award Year
NCAA All-Tournament Team 1979 [2]
Ken McKenzie Trophy (U.S.- Born Rookie of the Year - IHL; shared with Mike Labianca) 1981

    References

    1. "Miracle on Ice team: Where are they now?".
    2. "NCAA Frozen Four Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
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