Mark Pavelich
Mark Thomas Pavelich ( born February 28, 1958 in Eveleth, Minnesota ) is a retired American professional ice hockey player. During his career he played for the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars and San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League.
Career
Pavelich, whose parents emigrated from Croatia to the U.S., initially played three years from 1976 to 1979 at the University of Minnesota Duluth. The performance in his last year gave him, in addition to various vocations in All-Star teams, an invitation for the U.S. national team, which was to prepare for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid. Pavelich eventually managed to jump in the team squad who composed entirely of college players, and thus took part in the Olympic ice hockey tournament. There, Team USA with victories over the Soviet national team, known as the Miracle on Ice was successful, and a few days later about Finland the sensational winning the gold medal.
After the triumph of the striker joined for the 1980/81 season in the Swiss National League A for HC Lugano. However, the ungedraftete Pavelich was the call of the National Hockey League not resist, so he signed his first NHL contract with the New York Rangers in June 1981. There he played a total of five seasons, but was released in October 1986 to the Minnesota North Stars. For this exchange Herb Brooks, the coach of the U.S. team had him at the games in 1980, moved, although Pavelich really wanted to end his career. Since he was not home at the North Stars, he returned yet during the 1986/87 season and played back to Europe, in addition to a guest appearance in the British league for HC Bolzano in Italy's Serie A1. After two seasons, he finished his career, but returned for the 1991/92 season once again in the NHL, where he ran aground in only two games with the San Jose Sharks newly established. After the brief interlude he finished his final career.