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Rare winner's medal awarded to Czech ice hockey player Ivan Hlinka at the Innsbruck 1976 Winter Olympics. Gilt silver, 72 mm, 159 gm, by M. Coufal, Vienna. The front, inscribed, "Olympische Winterspiele XII, Innsbruck 1976," features the Innsbruck Olympic emblem; the reverse identifies the sport as hockey, "Eishockey," and portrays the Bergisel ski jump with the Alps in the background. Stamped "A925" on the edge. Complete with its original red-and-white ribbon. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by Hlinka’s widow.
Widely regarded as one of the most important figures in Czech ice hockey history, Ivan Hlinka (1950–2004) was a powerful center with a style similar to Phil Esposito, who spent most of his career with HC Litvínov and also played two NHL seasons with the Vancouver Canucks. A longtime Czechoslovak national team member, Hlinka helped his country earn a bronze medal at the 1972 games in Sapporo and, as evinced by this offered medal, a silver in Innsbruck. After retiring as a player, he turned to coaching, leading the Czech national team to gold at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano and spending two seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The 1976 Winter Olympic ice hockey tournament served as a showcase for the rivalry between the USSR and Czechoslovak national teams. In the gold-medal game, Czechoslovakia was up 2–0 after the first period. In the second, the score was tied by Vladimir Shadrin and Vladimir Petrov. Eight minutes before the end of the game, Eduard Novák scored the third goal for the Czechoslovak team. But rapid-fire goals by Aleksandr Yakushev and Valeri Kharlamov—in the span of a minute—led to the 4-3 victory of the USSR. The Czech team earned silver medals for their valiant effort against the powerhouse Soviet squad, which won gold for the fourth consecutive Olympiad.
