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OPENER:: DISNEY; CURRENT PAGE PHOTO BY KENNETH MITCHELL world gained its best film about about film best its worldgained neyreleased But itwas in2004,when Dis a made-for-TV movie in1981. umentaries over theyears and been thesubjectofseveral doc 40 years later. Thecontest has gamebest remembered –thatis ‘Miracle– the Union viet onIce’ it was thegame against theSo land to But winthegoldmedal. days later, theU.S. defeated Fin powerful Soviet squad4-3.Two of collegiate players, beatthe U.S. team, comprised mainly States andtheSoviet Union.The pics game between theUnited ments ofthe1980Winter Olym exclaimed intheclosingmo hockey astheoneAlMichaels phrase isassynonymous with CELEBRATES ITSSWEET 16 TURNS 40INFEBRUARY, WHILETHEMOVIE ABOUTIT THE GREATEST INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY GAME EVERPLAYED Miracle Perhaps no in miracles?” DO YOU BELIEVE , that the , thatthe BY SALBARRY ------hired and beginpre-production. cinematographer Dan Stoloff are film, of how it all came together. frompeople behind the the Here’s tostory, the act. directly teachingthen and howthem players actual finding by trend of doubles, closeups withcutaway shots of skating andthenediting ing actors, teaching themabit find of players.Instead hockey featuredsequences that real top andfor its realistic action the underdogon comingout of the everstory appealing of movies ever madebecause is one ofthegreatestit hockey dramatizationgameof that – Goliath story. the sport’s ultimate David-and- Director Gavin O’Connor and Miracle is not just a greata just isnot Miracle bucked the - players for the film. Ellis beginsearching for hockey and hockey co-ordinator Mark sell. O’Connor, Stoloff, Walter and works asastand-in for Rus referee in theU.S.-Soviet game nical advisor. Healso plays the board to helpas a hockey tech sons intheNHL,isbrought on Ryan Walter, aveteran of15sea cast as U.S. coach Herb Brooks. we pulleditoff. like two novices outthere, and work speaks for itself.We were had ashorthandandthatmy but Gavin madeacasethat we one muchmore experienced, on. Disney wanted to usesome fought really hard to bringme me along.To hiscredit, Gavin to direct Hewasit becameahit. hired money, solditatSundanceand we hadmadefor very little fore called a movie acoupleofyears be Gavin O’ConnorandIhaddone DAN STOLOFF: Hollywood star Kurt Russell is Miracle Tumbleweeds (Cinematographer) andbrought ROOKIE ISSUE 2020 THE MAKINGOFMIRACLE: , which -

- - - - Advisor /U.S.-Soviet GameReferee) RYAN WALTER: STOLOFF: started shootingthefilm. three monthsbefore they Iwasme to doit. involved Jenny, loves movies andurged the peopleatDisney. Mywife, along. Ihadagreat talkwith ver area. Mike passedmy info a hockey expert intheVancou by Disney becausethey wanted Canucks atthetime,was called tant coachwiththeVancouver Johnston, who was theassis was purely physical stuff. They process was like tryouts. It The firstpartofthecasting then they hadto beableto act. had to behockey players. And wide castingsearch. they First, to hisacting. Bothflourished. Demsey brought hishockey ability to ahockey movie, whereas Russell brought hisacting ability PUTTHEREALINREEL

THE HOCKEY NEWS Disney didanation

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- - | THE MAKINGOFMIRACLE: | needed to There doitright. are big show andtake the time we allowed us to putonareally given abudgetby Disney that could really skate. We were STOLOFF: part ofJimmy Craig. asked meto screen test for the the tapeto Disney, andthey me playing .We submitted goalie gearandshotfootage of rented ice,borrowed some IS REALLY THERE GUYS. SOME OFTHOSE HITS WERE STUNT hockey tests. Mymanager I missedthecountrywide girlfriend, now my wife, but I was moving to L.A.withmy work was basedinToronto. The Recruit and TVseriesafilmcalled couple ofmade-for-TV movies men’s leagues.Ihadacted ina was 17andplayed forward in up my goalieskates when I used to play goaliebuthung running through my veins. I into hockey andhaditsDNA I grew upinCanada.Iwas born KENNETH MITCHELL: so Iwent andread somelines. (The next day) was thelastday, in Boston for hockey players. posting for an opencastingcall schools andcameacross a scouring theinternet for acting after I finished college. I started about goingto actingschool to dowithmy life. Ithought ing to figure outwhat Iwanted design internship oneday, try was slackingoffatmy graphic- Funny how thingswork I out. I wanted to getoutofschool. to focus onacademicsbecause I quithockey my senior year in collegebuthadagreat time. high school.Ididn’t play much () PATRICK O’BRIENDEMSEY: enough to act. was ifthey were confident could really play. Thequestion to about200.We knewthey culled 4,000applicantsdown

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– DanStoloff, cinematographer great. Hewasgreat. upsetwith this guy pretty good. Itwas ready to go,and heknuckled during thetryouts. Hewas just O’Callahan, gotinto afight nuto, who was castas Jack DEMSEY: joyed thatpartoftheprocess. perform them. Ididwell. Ien were given scenesandhadto on theice.Thenext day, we didn’t give up.Iperformed well very interested inEddie. ButI and thepowers thatbewere that theproducers anddirector the hockey butIcouldtell part, opposite teams. Iwas great at auditioning. We were puton well-known actors thatwas And hewas oneofthemore exactly like Jimmy Craig. great hockey player butlooked was ,who wasn’t a screen testing for JimCraig. So like aJr. Atraining camp.Iwas teams. They ran theweekend hotels andsplitusupinto two MITCHELL: had to audition. a coupleofpractices andthen We hadto play hockey. We had We hadabigweekend camp. of 2002,they flewmeto L.A. months. AndtheninDecember was over thecourseofafew One timewas ontheice.It tioning sixorseven times. DEMSEY: anything like that. or digitalface replacement or this was before thedays ofCGI see isreally there. Ofcourse, whatBut for you themostpart, of thosehitswere stuntguys. a few stuntguys inthere. Some with teams suchastheFlames. skill hedeveloped intheNHL as aSoviet player thanksto the Harkins, anAmerican,was cast DOUBLEAGENT Michael Mante Michael I endedupaudi They putusupin - -

- of themovie. Gavin wanted me with himinthebeginning half character, we hadto fall inlove emotionally invested inthat to have apayoff, inorder to be all relate to. For thatmoment something theaudiencecan it’squite emotional.It’s cut, moment when Ralphie Cox gets punch upthecharacter. That rewrote someofthescriptto Ralphie Cox blossomed.Gavin ferent partfor me.That’s how that hewanted to findadif But Gavin liked mesomuch die Cahillto play Jimmy Craig. forming methat they hired Ed was over, Igotaphonecallin MITCHELL: and hehadanattitude. be, anincredible hockey player, O’Callahan. Handsomeascan wanted. Michael was perfect as But that’sexactly what they They don’t want to seethis.” man, Iscrewed my chances. himself atfirstandsaid,“Aw Oncetheweekend - - - sidebar onpg.63.)Mywife saw miserable innotplaying. (See retiredI wasand 2001 in pretty : Flames andWhalers). Todd Harkins(48 gameswiththe with theFlamesandDevils) and ing SashaLakovic (37 games to betheSoviet players, includ with NHLexperience are hired opposing teams. Several players couver to recruit players for the another tryout isheldinVan moved outto L.A. American movie Ididsince than thrilled.Itwas thefirst to play Iwas thepart. more played them,suchasDemsey. the project and to theactors who such asEruzione, were closeto The real Miracle onIce players, BELIKEMIKE After theU.S. players are cast,

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the end of that practice, they hockey players who they actors did a great job. Most movie. And the scene came SEASONED VETS cut everyone except 11 of us to period has to look like Mark thought they might be able to of the players were not actors, off beautifully. During the course of Miracle’s play the players. Johnson’sgoal at the goal. end ofWe the animated first get to act enough to pull it off. they were hockey players. And production, cast members had to the choreographed plays on Most of us were not actors. We the little pieces of acting that HARKINS: Sasha Lakovic was learn more than 100 plays from The remainder that were cast my computer. We had a very looked enough like the people they had to do, Gavin and the cast as Soviet captain Boris the actual U.S.-Soviet game. as the Soviet Union team were rudimentary program where they wanted us to be. We didn’t others would help them out Mikhailov because he looked extras that looked Russian but we built little hockey players, know that at the time. We just with it. more Russian than everyone were paid less to sit on the bench moved them and then played thought, hey, we’re going to be else. Sasha was a character, movies before, there’s never while Harkins and the other 10 them back. I was always touch- movie stars. STOLOFF: Kurt Russell was and he was always in charac- a time when you’re tight on players did the on-ice work. ing up those plays, making an amazing coach to these ter. Because he was Mikhailov, somebody’s skates and you Filming took place in Vancouver. sure that the guys understood MITCHELL: I was one of three kids because he coached their he had the ‘K’ on his jersey, tilt up to see who the actor is. One of the biggest challenges where they were going, how players in the movie with act- acting, too. He took it upon and he felt that he was the It’s always a cut. Movies like in making Miracle was recreat- ing experience. Myself, Eddie himself to drive these kids. For captain of the team. But from Mystery, Alaska come to mind. ing hockey footage from such a ended. I’d go to center ice with Cahill and Nathan West (who them, it was the most amazing an experience standpoint, in And we said, no, we’re going famous game. Plays had to be mythe computer,play flowed and and we’d how prac it - played Rob McClanahan) had experience they could have, the dressing room, I tried to be to make sure there is no doubt drawn up and then practised tise for quite a while. acted before. The rest of the having some guy like that a leader as well. I remember everyone you see in the movie over and over again. guys were hockey players, and pushing them. And in the end, Sasha came up to me, and he is actually playing on the ice. STOLOFF: We kept doing it un- Gavin was able to mold great you feel that, you feel the team STOLOFF: We went through til we got it right. If there was performances out of them. in the movie. I’m the captain of this team!” HARKINS: I was in a group of the game footage. We went one person in the background was serious, and he said, “Hey! not skating at 110 percent, drill, we skate a lap around thing we did was decide we had to do it again. And as a 50 guys on the ice. The first whichthrough plays every we play. were The going first to result, we made the movie we get into the movie. We broke set out to make. In doing that, the game down thematically, we developed good relation- asked, what is the story being ships with the actual players told and how do we tell it ef- on the team, Mike Eruzione and Jack O’ Callahan. We would months going over the footage talk with them almost daily. It beforeficiently? we We spent a frame. about We four almost became like we’re mak- had little toy hockey guys and ing this movie for these guys. a little camera, and we basi- And these guys were on the ice cally storyboarded every shot and knew exactly what hap- you see in the movie. pened. At the end of the day, we did not want to hear them MITCHELL: We showed up in say that we didn’t get things Vancouver a month-and-a-half right. We wanted to get it right, and we got it right. playbook of over 100 hockey playsbefore that filming. we had There to work was a DEMSEY: One of the coolest through and memorize for the things happened before we were shooting. We were doing a lot easier to be aggressive rehearsals. We had white jer- onfilming. offense In general,and be true I found to of it- seys and full cages on. Nothing fense. But when you’re acting, to distinguish us from each you have to go against your other. The director calls us over The line was out of the hotel the rink. Then they line us up instincts. For example, you to the boards and introduces KEEPIN’ IT HOLLYWOOD and around the corner! From and start cutting guys. The might have to let the puck go us to Herb Brooks! Brooks said, As authentic as the production what I heard, there were over next drill, we skated back- through your legs in order for a - DEMSEY: I had zero training as DEMSEY: felt, it was still a movie, meaning 8,000 people who got in line to wards around the rink. Then scene or play to work, but your an actor back then. And there shot was the scene outside the DO YOUR HOMEWORK the players required the hair and get into the tryout. There were they lined us up again and cut instincts are to stop that puck. know,“How youwe’re guys a little doing?” bit rusty.” Every was nothing I could do, at that bus, when Thewe’re first confronting thing we The cast and crew studied the makeup like any “real” actors. guys at the hotel dressed up in more guys. We were out there It’s hard to be fully aggressive Andone washe looks quiet, at so me I said, and says,“You , to try and imitate Mike coach Brooks. We needed to be real game footage meticulously – hockey gear, with their skate for an hour. We’d start with and make it look real while Eruzione without it seeming intimidated by him. We were even between takes – in hopes of guards on. There were guys something like that happens, because he was always a little weird. I didn’t know what I was introduced to Kurt, but he kept replicating it as closely as possible. the casting call in a Vancouver with skates slung over their That went on for days. I didn’t just for the sake of the movie. rusty.”“You must It was be justEruzione this great then, doing. The director said I was newspaper about open tryouts shoulders or with jerseys on. know50 guys if Iand was end trying up without to five. be moment, where the coach picked for a reason, and all I to be in the movie Miracle. She So many guys were trying to be on the U.S. team or the Russian DEMSEY: We were on the ice picked me out from everybody. had to do was get these lines wehis didn’tdistance know from him us veryat first. well. cut it out and put it on my din- a part of this movie. Once we team. Nobody said anything. for six to eight hours a day and out of my mouth and sound TheySo, going had intocreated that the first perfect scene, ‘K.’ ” One practice, I went on ner plate. I was so upset with got through the screening pro- They just kept cutting guys then had acting rehearsal at Six weeks of rehearsal were like a coherent human when moment, because we really theAnd ice, I said, and “Yeah, someone you hadwear sewn the the game that I crumpled it up cess, 800 players out of 8,000 every time we did a drill. They night, to try and work every- followed by four months of film- the camera is rolling (laughs). were nervous, and that fuelled a ‘K’ on my jersey. Sasha skates and threw it in the garbage. But made it to the ice rink, starting cut us down to about 25 guys thing out. Then we shot the ing. For many of those cast as If I booked an acting job now, the scene. Even if we weren’t a couple of days later, I pulled it on Monday. for Friday’s skate. There were U.S. players, this was their first I’d study the person’s manner- actually good enough actors What’s that all about?” I told out of the garbage and decided some pretty good players out acting experience. isms and how they move. to pull off the scene, we were himover he to gotme demoted.and says, “Hey!We had to go to the Westin Bayshore STOLOFF: When we did our there, some former NHL guys WALTER:film for four We’re months. replicating nervous, anyway, because it a good chuckle over it. The

Hotel in downtown Vancouver. research and looked at hockey and other talented players. At history. So, Mark Johnson’s KENNETH BY PHOTO MITCHELL DEMSEY: They brought in WALTER: The guys that were crew kept it light in the dress-

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ing room because it was long HARKINS: We’re doing 14- to WALTER: There’s no faking it whole Herbie by myself. I get hours and tiring days. 16-hour days. It’s hard to do in that scene. The guys were back to the line, and Gavin has A WAY OF LIFE because you were in hockey bagged. We had to push them me go again. So, I do another Between filming scenes, the MITCHELL: I was really gear for hours on end. There really hard. They knew it. one and get back into line. players remained plugged into the was a time when a lot of us When you’re out of breath, hockey mentality. They kept their scene where Ralph Cox gets became very fatigued. Some can’t breathe, and have to do gear on and watched NHL games. cut.prepared I didn’t when want we to filmed f--- it up. the It executives from Disney came it again, it’s never fun. Give MITCHELL:“Rizzo, go again!” So, all of us are felt like an important moment and showed us some clips of the players all the credit. They watching our dear friend in in my career at that point, the movie that they were start- pushed way beyond what their the trenches, just skating over : (Goalie double doing a scene with someone ing to put together. It really salary dictated in that moment. and over again by himself, for Eddie Cahill, who played ) of that stature like Kurt. I like motivated us and got us excited until he’s absolutely exhaust- Originally, I had been ap- emotional stuff, so I felt very to go out there and continue MITCHELL: One of the most ed. Without anyone saying at home. I know that moment, to work and push through it. magical things about that anything, one guy just starts being cut, it felt familiar. We We couldn’t believe how real monthsproached to to do do the the movie film. reallyTo be the scenes that they showed us gone every day for four or five leaving shortly after that scene looked. It got us really excited I gracefully bowed out. Then, filmed in sequence, so I was to try and perfect the movie as didn’t fit into my schedule, so best we could. Jim Craig action scenes, I got a MOST OF US phonewhen they call tofilmed come the back, main and MITCHELL: My favorite scene they asked if I’d be interested WEREN’T ACTORS. didn’t make it into the movie. in getting involved in the latter part of it, and that’s when I WE LOOKED where we got the night off, and joined the crew. weThey go filmed to the thisbar andgreat let scene loose. that movie, and I think that ENOUGH LIKE We did this whole disco dance part just epitomized that. We WALTER: Bill came in about halfway through the shooting WHO THEY fun. Ralphie Cox got to shake in this together.” And then, and ends up doing a brilliant ascene leg. But on thefor dancetiming’s floor. sake, It wasit oncewere welike, were “Hey done Patty, skating, we’re job of being Jimmy Craig. WANTED US didn’t make it in. the cameras started rolling, the closeup is on Patty, and HARKINS: We wanted to make TO BE – Patrick O’Brien Demsey “Again!” Next to Eruzione’s he delivers such a beautiful this movie as real as we could. game-winning goal against the reading of that line. It was one Bill was outstanding. There’s was shot. It felt like art was Soviet Union, perhaps the most of my favorite moments in that one scene where I run him over imitating life, where I was quite memorable scene is when coach movie. Every time I see it, it and knock him out. That was sad to be going home, while the Brooks bag skates the team af- gives me chills. an intense scene, and we both rest of the guys got to continue ter they dog their way to a 3-3 tie with Norway in an exhibition Since the old fiberglass goalie make this real.” And it was real. that in the scene. We used that match. The team is forced to masks of the time covered the Itwent wasn’t at it. fun, We running said, “OK, the let’s goal - tofilming. our advantage. You could feel all of skate “Herbies” over and over ’s entire face, a goalie ie over and over, even though I until Eruzione says his most stunt double plays Jim Craig for did it a lot in my career. STOLOFF: I’m an OK skater, famous line. the hockey action scenes. Origi- not great. Ryan Walter had nally, a Jr. B goalie from Vancou- RANFORD: The scene where given me some skating tips. DEMSEY: The scene I’m most ver is hired, but he does not work Jim Craig gets run over by Then one day at lunch, I’m out as hoped. So, former star Kharlamov, we did that about skating around the arena. It play for the of NHLer and 20 times. The last time, we had just been resurfaced. I’m America.”happy with Not is whenbecause I say, it’s “I such winner Bill Ranford is brought in missed the timing of it, and going really fast. Suddenly, to help. Todd caught me with a knee I catch an edge where the was really a pivotal point in the right on the temple. I ended up Zamboni had missed a spot, a pivotal point in the film. It HARKINS: For one sequence, with a concussion. That wasn’t go sprawling and land on my was shot for three days. We got I was shooting the puck and much fun. I never really had head. I got knocked out. I woke bagfilming skated for us.for Thatthree one days. scene We missing the net on purpose so a concussion that bad during up in a puddle of blood. They had some stunt doubles doing movie, again, art imitating life, my whole playing career. I was rushed me to the hospital, some of the bag skating, but we life imitating art, was the mo- TEAM PLAYERS the puck into the corner. Gavin back on the ice the next day, put 14 stitches in my head, were all just getting creamed ment where Patty had to skate Lakovic brought levity to the set, let me get bagged all by myself. gotthe upsetgoaltender and said could he deflectwanted but we only had a few days of and then I was back to work for three days. on his own. Gavin wanted Patty while Russell, true to his character, ART IMITATES LIFE They didn’t have to do that, you me to shoot to score so it shooting left. within 45 minutes. And the to be absolutely exhausted was a de facto acting coach for all Mitchell saw constant parallels know. It was a really special looked more realistic. So, we players looked at me with the MITCHELL: It’s a really impor- when he delivered that line. So, the newbies. between his experience making HARKINS: We convinced Gavin big bandage on my head, and tant part in the movie. Gavin he made Patty skate on his own the movie and that of his brought us all together, which to let us scrimmage a couple I had their respect, because wanted this to be as realistic as to get tired. on-screen character, Ralph Cox. ismoment what our during brilliant the filming director that nowdid five upset takes that in I a was row, scoring, and I of times to get some footage. that’s what they do every possible, so he wanted us to be skating with him. And then two wanted. Because that was the andscored that all the five goalie times. wasn’t Gavin was The 11 Soviet players, we were day. I thought that was cool. I as tired as we humanly possi- DEMSEY: At the end of the guys started skating. And we’re moment that brought the team making the save. I told Gavin running out of gas many times, would never had done that on third day, we’re shooting the all looking at each other, and to be on us. We’re all skating together in the movie, too. if he wanted a real goalie, I against the 20 U.S. guys. They purpose, because it really hurt. all day, doing the Herbies all part. They’re bag skating us. we all started skating, even alongside our brother. could get Kirk McLean or Bill got some good shots out of that, But they respected that. That’s day.bly could. And those We filmed shots thatof those scene Then the director had just me though we didn’t need to, be- MITCHELL: There was a real just us playing and competing

what hockey players do. guys puking, that was all real. go. Nobody else. So, I do the cause the camera wasn’t going COURTESYPHOTO OF THE FAMILY LAKOVIC KENNETH BY PHOTO MITCHELL DEMSEY: The guys would not brotherhood that was built in I called was Bill. hard against each other. Ranford out here. The first one

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STOLOFF: We have all seen A MIRACLE hockey movies where the LIKE A FAMILY cameras use long lenses and A long and physically gruelling WITHIN MIRACLE they’re shooting from up shoot brought the cast together high, like a hockey game. Our and made them behave like TODD HARKINS HAD given up on whole approach was to put the members of a real team. hockey. The 11-year pro, who played audience right on the ice with 48 games in the NHL and appeared the players. It’s really, really in three world championships for the U.S., was playing in Europe in 2001. it three times before we got Then, his family got terrible news. some great camera opera- enough footage of it. Harkins’ five-year old son, tors,difficult and to we do had that. some We hadgreat Nicklas, was diagnosed with skaters pushing the operators WALTER: To thank me for my Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) Type 1, around on these sleds. It was work on the hockey sequences, a rare enzyme disorder. Doctors told like learning a whole new Gavin made me the referee in Harkins that Nicklas wouldn’t live language, being able to track the big game between the U.S. past age 10, so Harkins moved back the action and being involved and the Soviet Union. I ended to Vancouver to take care of his son. in the action. up with four lines in the movie. “Anyone would quit what they’re Not very hard lines. It was a doing to take care of their children, and I did,” Harkins said. “Instead We worked hard wonderful experience. RANFORD: of blaming the illness, I blamed to make the scenes realistic. the game of hockey. I was bitter. I We broke the scenes down, Filming Eruzione’s game- couldn’t get a minor-league contract and then we tried to do it winning goal was challenging for in North America. I couldn’t find a with speed and accuracy but Demsey because it had to look junior job to coach. That’s why I felt also keeping in mind that we right, all while wearing 25-year- sour about the game.” wanted to make it as realistic old equipment. In fact, most It was in 2002 when Harkins’ wife, as possible. players had to adapt to the anti- Kirsten, found the Miracle casting call quated gear. in a local newspaper. He crumpled it HARKINS: One time, Gavin up and threw it in the garbage. A few days later, Harkins, originally from came to us and said we were We had some great DEMSEY: Cleveland, had second thoughts. going to shoot at Bill for two hockey scenes looked as real me that people will see her “Watching the U.S. team win in minutes, and whoever scored worked perfectly for the story as we could make it. stuff and soon forget about it. SEPARATED AT BIRTH 1980 was so instrumental to me as thathockey I was players in the in lower the film. tier Itof But every year, hockey season Cahill, one of Miracle’s few a young boy,” he said. “I gave up ability within the group. And Miracle is released in theaters comes around, and people established actors, was cast for football and baseball and wanted to a goal first would win $1,000 then they had us use these rep- on Feb. 6, 2004, nearly 24 years are watching Miracle. Every his resemblance to Craig rather be a hockey player.” andcash. emulate It was just the aending flurry of the lica wooden sticks. For some- after the game four years, the Olympics come than his on-ice prowess. Harkins, who hadn’t touched his realshots game. that theyWe’re filmed going to hard, try one who doesn’t have great took place. The film, with a bud- around, and people are talking skates since retirement, tried out for we’re just blasting him, and hands, they’re not tremendous get of $28 million, takes in $19 about it again. the film and was cast as Soviet Union Bill is standing on his head. pieces of equipment. Then I million its opening weekend and think Miracle is one of the best player Valeri Kharlamov. “Director Gavin O’Connor heard the story about And with 15 second left, I had to be in the right place and MITCHELL: For me to marry hockey movies done to date. Nicklas,” Harkins said. “My family scored and got the cash. It score the goal. my past athletic self with my came to the set one day, and Nicklas never went into my pocket. It THOSE GUYS current profession of acting HARKINS: Miracle catapulted skated out on the ice with me dressed went to the guys. I made sure HARKINS: We had to use old was a dream come true. my hockey movie career. I in a Kharlamov jersey and got to score we went out that night and had wooden sticks. All wood, no PAVED THE PATH was the hockey director on on the goalies.” a good time. - WALTER: We’re very proud of Slap Shot 3 and The Tooth That day, everyone on set – ed it to be authentic. To be TO THE NHL FOR A the hockey in Miracle because Fairy and for the TV series A including several thousand extras RANFORD: One of my favorite ablefiberglass, to try becauseand stickhandle they want and it’s authentic. And I’m always Million Little Things. I’ve done – put $2 in a raffle. Everyone wrote memories was shooting this shoot the puck with wooden me to celebrate, so they’d have LOT OF AMERICAN proud of Disney for making a various hockey commercials in “Nicklas Harkins” on their tickets. scene where the puck gets sticks they would have used more celebration footage. LEAD BY EXAMPLE hockey movie that doesn’t have Vancouver. I got my name out Harkins donated the $5,000 prize to shot in from the blueline and But it just didn’t feel right to Demsey, as Eruzione, was singled PLAYERS. a lot of swearing in it. there in the movie industry the Canadian MPS Society. Several out to film a particularly taxing Miracle actors, including Eddie Cahill, Jim Craig knifes the puck into celebrate when I missed. I felt because of Miracle. participated in a charity game called scene. The other actors joined in the crowd. The assistant direc- RANFORD:back in 1980 The was biggest difficult. issue that they were frustrated with I WANTED TO DO DEMSEY: the MPS Cup, with Disney donating tor comes running out and I had with the old equipment me because I wasn’t celebrat- to honor their screen captain. of us players that still live in DEMSEY: I went to school for some Miracle memorabilia. was sometimes keeping the ing enough, but it didn’t feel IT JUSTICE – Todd Harkins L.A. Eddie There’sCahill is about still there. five graphic design. I always loved Shortly after the movie’s release We have extras in the stands. puck in my glove. And I was right. And then I hit it on the Ken Mitchell and my buddy art. But I really fell in love with in 2004, a synthetic enzyme called Someonesays to me, could “You get can’t hurt!” do that! The wearing the old deer-hair third try, and it was a massive kid. Growing up in Cleveland a total of $64.5 million during its Sam Skoryna, who played Aldurazyme was approved in Canada. pads, so they’d get soaked and celebration, which felt so good. and watching the U.S. team theatrical run. The movie is well- goalie , and Eric when working on Miracle. If Nicklas, then eight, received his first it,” but then he asks me to do wouldn’t dry, and then they That was the most pressure I when I was a kid made me received by critics and hockey Peter-Kaiser, who played Mark you’rethe process not going of filmmaking to be an NHL treatment. Now 24 and finishing director says “OK, we won’t do were heavy to lug around. felt during the whole movie, give up other sports because I fans alike and routinely ranks Johnson. We get together with player who goes to the Hall of college, he gets the synthetic enzyme once a week. “You tie Miracle in with sign hanging in the stands wanted to be a hockey player. I at or near the top of “best hock- the wives now and then. Fame, what better place to land it again. I point to a “Go USA” our family, Nicklas and his situation, and ask him what letter he DEMSEY: There was a lot of part and try to capture history wanted to be one of those guys ey movies” and “best sports than a movie that lasts forever and it all just happened around wants me to hit. The assistant pressure for me to score that andhaving make to performit feel authentic. that specific because they paved the path movies” lists. RANFORD: Sometimes hockey about the greatest sporting the same time,” said Harkins, who director kept telling me I can’t game-winning goal. I got it on for a lot of American hockey movies are considered hokey, event in U.S. history? It’s the currently works as a high-school do that, while the director the third take, which was such HARKINS: It was so excit- players to make it into the DEMSEY: My wife is an actress and our big goal for doing best place to land if you’re a hockey coach. “It was a pretty special keeps whispering in my ear, a relief for me. Even when I ing because we were doing NHL. I wanted to do it justice who has worked in the indus- this movie was to make it as hockey player, because it never time. It motivated me to be back in

missed the shot, they wanted something that I had seen as a and try to make sure the KENNETH BY PHOTO MITCHELL DISNEY try for 20 years, and she tells realistic as possible. And I goes away. the game.” – SAL BARRY

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