Three Minnesotans headed for U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

ST. PAUL (AP) -- Three Minnesotans -- all Olympic gold-medal winners -- will be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

Dave Christian of Moorhead, Paul Johnson of West St. Paul and Mike Ramsey of Chanhassen will be inducted Wednesday at a ceremony and dinner at the Radisson Riverfront Hotel in St. Paul.

Christian and Ramsey played on the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that beat a powerful Russian squad in Lake Placid, N.Y., en route to winning the gold medal. Johnson played on the 1960 U.S. team that won the gold medal in Squaw Valley, Calif.

Christian, who grew up in Warroad and played college hockey for North Dakota, had eight assists at the Olympic Games. He played 15 seasons in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues and Chicago Black Hawks.

Johnson, who grew up in West St. Paul, was named to the 1958 U.S. National Team when he was 21 and played on two U.S. Olympic teams. He also spent five seasons playing in the International Hockey league.

Ramsey, a Minneapolis native, played on Minnesota's 1979 NCAA Championship team. He played in the NHL for 18 seasons, including 14 with the Buffalo Sabres. His last years in the league were spent with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings.

The Hockey Hall of Fame is in Eveleth in northeastern Minnesota.