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It certainly remains one of the most spectacular, as well as significant, single-game goaltending performances in the history of the Winter Olympic Games.

On the final day of the ice hockey tournament at Oslo in 1952, the United States goaltender DICK DESMOND withstood a 58-shot barrage from the national team of Canada, a.k.a. the Edmonton Mercurys.

Canada, already having clinched the gold medal heading into the game, was, nonetheless, searching for an unblemished record and nearly achieved the extraordinary feat of a shot-on-goal per minute for the length of a contest. The 2-0 first-period margin to start the match served notice of Canadian intentions sufficiently.

The Americans, only as a result of yeoman’s work from Desmond and in spite of their own total of just 13 shots-on-goal, ultimately knotted the score for good at 3-3 on a goal from the University of Minnesota’s JIMMY SEDIN with less than two minutes remaining.

The United States, on the strength of the draw, secured the silver medal in Oslo. As it turned out, because Czechoslovakia blanked Sweden 4-0 on the final day as well, a loss to Canada for the U.S. would have yielded fourth place and, thus, no hardware to take home at all. Without question, Desmond, the former Dartmouth University star, was decisive in goal.

1952 Winter Olympic Games - Oslo, Norway --- FINLAND national team.

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(back row, standing) : Lauri SILVAN, Esko REKOMAA, Christian RAPP, Erkki HYTONEN, Matti KARUMAA, Aarne HONKAVAARA, Yrjo HAKALA, Keijo KUUSELA, Eero SAARI.

(front row, kneeling) : Jukko WUOLIO, Pentti ISOTALO, Eero SALISMA, Unto WIITALA, Pekka MYLLYLA, Ossi KAUPPI, Matti RINTAKOSKI, Kauko MAKINEN.

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FINLAND fielded its first-ever team at the Winter Olympics with its entry at the 1952 Games in Oslo, Norway.

Suomi were effectively squashed in their first four matches before finally breaking through into the win column at the expense of host nation and neighbor Norway.

• 2/15/52 — Sweden 9 – FINLAND 2
• 2/16/52 — Switzerland 12 – FINLAND 0
• 2/17/52 — Canada 13 — FINLAND 3
• 2/18/52 — United States 8 — FINLAND 2
• 2/19/52 — FINLAND 5 — Norway 2
• 2/21/52 — Czechoslovakia 12 — FINLAND 2
• 2/22/52 — FINLAND  5 — West Germany 1
• 2/23/52 — Poland 4 — FINLAND 2

A second victory against fellow Olympic newboys West Germany in their penultimate contest helped see the Finns finish seventh out of the nine entrants.

Goaltenders

• 8 ga — 7.63 avg — 26 – Unto WIITALA — Karhu-Kissat Helsinki
• 0 ga — 0.00 avg — 19 – Pekka MYLLYLA — Ilves Tampere

Defensemen

• 0 go 4 as — 35 – Eero SALISMA — HPK Hameenlinna
• 0 go 0 as — 27 – Matti RINTAKOSKI — TBK Tampere
• 0 go 0 as — 24 – Pentti ISOTALO — Ilves Tampere
• 0 go 0 as — 22 – Ossi KAUPPI — Ilves Tampere

Forwards

• 5 go 0 as — 23 – Christian RAPP — IFK Helsinki
• 4 go 1 as — 30 – Keijo KUUSELA — Tarno Hameenlinna
• 3 go 1 as — 19 – Lauri SILVAN — TBK Tampere 
• 2 go 2 as — 27 – Aarne HONKAVAARA — Ilves Tampere
• 3 go 0 as — 27 – Matti KARUMAA — Tarno Hameenlinna
• 3 go 0 as — 19 – Yrjo HAKALA — Ilves Tampere
• 1 go 2 as — 24 – Jukka WUOLIO — Ilves Tampere
• 0 go 1 as — 23 – Eero SAARI — Ilves Tampere
• 0 go 0 as — 24 – Kauko MAKINEN — Ilves Tampere
• 0 go 0 as — 19 – Esko REKOMAA — HJK Helsinki
• 0 go 0 as — 18 – Erkki HYTONEN — TBK Tampere