ANOKA, Minnesota – The death last month of “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey highlight Mark Pavelich was considered suicide, a Minnesota medical examiner said on Monday.
The Midwestern Medical Examiner’s Office in Anoka County said in a press release that Pavelich, 63, died of suffocation. His body was found on March 3 at Eagle’s Healing Nest in Sauk Center, Minnesota.
Pavelich was undergoing treatment at home as part of a civil pledge to assault his neighbor in Cook County, Minnesota, in August 2019. Pavelich thought the man had fortified his beer.
He was charged with assault, but Judge Michael Cuzzo concluded that he was incompetent to stand trial because he was mentally ill and dangerous. The judge said psychologists found that Pavelich was suffering from delusions and paranoia. Experts also diagnosed him with a mild neurocognitive disorder due to traumatic brain injury, probably related to repeated head injuries.
Pavelich, who played 341 of his 355 NHL games with Rangers, helped Mike Eruzione’s winning goal against the favored Soviet Union at the 1980 Olympics. This US team won the gold medal.