MILAN — In a historic moment reminiscent of the 1980 Miracle on Ice, the U.S. clinched its first Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey as Jack Hughes netted the decisive goal in 3-on-3 overtime, defeating Canada 2-1 on Sunday.
Leading up to the tournament, American players expressed their confidence with a chant of “gold or bust,” and they delivered with a victory over their biggest rivals. USA Hockey marked a clean sweep, as the women’s team also triumphed against Canada, winning 2-1 in overtime for gold on Thursday.
Hughes scored just under two minutes into overtime, with Zach Werenski assisting by stealing the puck from Canada’s Nathan MacKinnon and delivering a precise cross-ice pass to Hughes.
“This is all about our country right now,” Hughes remarked. “I love the USA. I love my teammates. It’s unbelievable. The USA Hockey brotherhood is incredibly strong.”
U.S. goalie Connor Hellebuyck was outstanding, making 41 saves. This performance marked a significant redemption for Hellebuyck, the reigning Vezina and Hart Trophy winner, showcasing his ability to shine in high-pressure situations. He had faced challenges during the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs with the Winnipeg Jets, being pulled three times in the first round against the St. Louis Blues.
Throughout Sunday’s game, Hellebuyck had numerous standout moments, particularly in the third period when he denied Devon Toews from scoring on an open rebound. He also thwarted Connor McDavid during a breakaway in the second period.
The Americans successfully killed off a critical 93-second 5-on-3 advantage for Canada, a key turning point. Team USA remained perfect on the penalty kill, going 18-for-18 in the tournament.
“Unbelievable game by Hellebuyck,” Hughes stated. “He was our best player by a mile.”
The U.S. men had not triumphed over Canada in a best-on-best setting since the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, long before many players on the current roster were born.
This victory served as redemption for Team USA after falling to Canada in last year’s Four Nations title match, where Canada won 3-2 in overtime.
“I can’t even believe this,” Hughes expressed. “It’s such an unbelievable game, USA-Canada. So many great players. We’re a fantastic team. That’s exactly how we aimed for it to go. We were the underdogs to Canada, [but we] beat them. It could have gone either way.”
In a heartfelt celebration, U.S. captain Auston Matthews, Werenski, and Matthew Tkachuk skated around the rink bearing the jersey of the late Johnny Gaudreau, who tragically lost his life alongside his brother in 2024 after being struck by an SUV while cycling. Gaudreau would have been a strong candidate for this Olympic team. Team USA honored Gaudreau by displaying his jersey in the locker room throughout the tournament.
After the medal ceremony, U.S. players brought two of Gaudreau’s children onto the ice for a photograph with the team and their father’s jersey.
Sunday was the third instance of the USA and Canada clashing in the men’s hockey gold medal game, with Canada having won the previous two encounters in 2002 and 2010.
Matt Boldy got the scoring underway six minutes into the match. The Americans held onto their lead until Cale Makar leveled the game late in the second period after a notable surge from Canada, who outshot Team USA 19-8 in that period.
It was an exhilarating game filled with opportunities, featuring stunning moments where some of the world’s best players missed wide-open nets.
Canada had rallied from behind in both its quarterfinal and semifinal victories, having only led for a mere 6:05 of play since the start of the elimination rounds.
Canada was without its captain Sidney Crosby, who missed the game due to a lower body injury sustained during the quarterfinal round against Czechia. Sources indicated that Crosby “tried everything, just couldn’t play,” emphasizing that his decision was selfless, as he believed a healthier player would better serve the team.
In accordance with international regulations, a team must have a captain, resulting in McDavid donning the “C” in Crosby’s absence.
Crosby, at 38, was the oldest and one of the most decorated players on Canada’s roster, having previously scored the golden goal against the United States in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
He was part of a star-studded Canadian lineup that featured McDavid, MacKinnon, and Macklin Celebrini — three of the top four point scorers in the NHL this season.
Canada boasts a record nine Olympic gold medals in men’s hockey, with its last victory occurring in 2014, which was also the final year NHL players participated in the Olympic Games.
