Amateur career

The son of Croatian immigrants, Pavelich grew up in rural Minnesota. He attended the University of Minnesota Duluth as an amateur player for three seasons in 1977-79. Pavelich is best known for being a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, that won the gold medal in Lake Placid. In the game against the Soviet Union, Pavelich was credited with two assists, including one on Mike Eruzione's game-winning goal.

Professional career

After the Olympics, Pavelich (who was never drafted by an NHL team) played one season for HC Lugano in Switzerland where he registered 73 points in 60 games. He also returned to the US national team for the 1981 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament. He was brought back to the United States the following year by his former US Olympic coaches Herb Brooks and Craig Patrick, who had assumed control of the New York Rangers since the 1980 Olympics. Despite his small size, Pavelich initially thrived in his role as a quick playmaking centre for the Rangers (he still holds the Ranger record for most points as a rookie (76)). However, his career in New York was ended by a feud with Brooks' successor Ted Sator who introduced a traditional North American dump-and-chase style of play. Pavelich balked at the lack of effectiveness and disorder brought on by the changes.

Pavelich briefly played again for Brooks with the Minnesota North Stars in 1987 before returning to Europe. He had a brief stint in Britain for the Dundee Rockets and played two seasons in Italy for HC Bolzano. The expansion San Jose Sharks brought him out of retirement for the 1991-92 NHL season, but he would play only two games for the Sharks before retiring for good. However, he did manage to record an assist on the Sharks' first-ever goal, scored by Craig Coxe in the third period of a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on October 4, 1991.

On February 23, 1983, Pavelich became one of only two Americans to score five goals in a single game (against the Hartford Whalers at Madison Square Garden in New York). Mickey Roach had achieved the feat in 1920.

Legacy

• Ranked No. 83 on the all-time list of New York Rangers in the book 100 Ranger Greats (John Wiley & Sons, 2009).

Personal life

Mark Pavelich's brother in law was also a hockey player and now coaches for the Hibbing Bluejackets, in Hibbing, Minnesota. He currently lives in Tofte, Minnesota. In April 2014, Pavelich announced that he was putting his Olympic medal up for auction, with bidding beginning at $62,500. Pavelich is the second player from the 1980 team to put a medal up for sale, with teammate Mark Wells having sold his in late 2010.

In popular culture

In a 1981 TV movie about the 1980 U.S. hockey team called Miracle on Ice, Pavelich was played by Jack Blessing.

In the 2004 Disney film Miracle, he is portrayed by Chris Koch. Koch played junior hockey for the Delta Ice Hawks in his native Canada before concussions ended his career.

Awards and achievements

Award	Year
All-WCHA First Team	1978-79
AHCA West All-American	1978-79

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1976-77	U. of Minnesota-Duluth	NCAA		37	12	7	19	8		—	—	—	—	—
1977-78	U. of Minnesota-Duluth	NCAA		36	14	30	44	44		—	—	—	—	—
1978-79	U. of Minnesota-Duluth	NCAA		37	31	48	79	52		—	—	—	—	—
1979-80	U.S. Olympic Team	Intl		60	16	36	52	14		—	—	—	—	—
1981-82	New York Rangers	NHL		79	33	43	76	67		6	1	5	6	0
1982-83	New York Rangers	NHL		78	37	38	75	52		9	4	5	9	12
1983-84	New York Rangers	NHL		77	29	53	82	96		5	2	4	6	0
1984-85	New York Rangers	NHL		48	14	31	45	29		3	0	3	3	2
1985-86	New York Rangers	NHL		59	20	20	40	82		—	—	—	—	—
1986-87	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		12	4	6	10	10		—	—	—	—	—
1987-88	Bolzano HC	Italy		36	31	42	73	19		—	—	—	—	—
1991-92	San Jose Sharks	NHL		2	0	1	1	4		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				355	137	192	329	340		23	7	17	24	14

[ Source: Wikipedia ]