For the first time since 1980, Team USA won the men’s ice hockey gold medal. Jack Hughes, who had a solid tournament overall, scored the Golden Goal, notching the game-winner 1:41 into overtime. Connor Hellebuyck stood on his head throughout the contest, making several highlight-reel saves that kept the game tied, allowing the US to win in the extra session. On the 46th anniversary of the team’s last gold medal, Team USA stood on the medal podium while the Star-Spangled Banner played.
Team USA
gold medal lineup vs. Canada
:
B. Tkachuk-Eichel-M. Tkachuk
Guentzel-Matthews-Boldy
Hughes-Larkin-Thompson
Trocheck-Nelson-Miller
Keller
Hughes-McAvoy
Slavin-Faber
Werenski-Sanderson
Hanifin
Hellebuyck
Oettinger
Canada’s gold medal lineup vs. Team USA:
Celebrini-McDavid-MacKinnon
Marner-Suzuki-Stone
Marchand-Bennett-Wilson
Hagel-Horvat-Jarvis
Reinhart
Toews-Makar
Harley-Parayko
Sanheim-Doughty
Theodore
Binnington
Thompson
Sidney Crosby did not play because he felt he was not close enough to 100%. Josh Morrissey also missed the game due to injury.
A few thoughts:
1) Hellebuyck, Hellebuyck, Hellebuyck: Coming into the Olympics, one of the big questions was if Helly could rise to the big moment. His playoff struggles are well-known, and despite a solid 4 Nations, the US fell 3-2 on a Connor McDavid overtime tally. Today’s performance answered that question.
Hellebucyk was brilliant. His ridiculous play in net made him the team’s MVP by far. In fact, he was voted the All-Olympics team netminder based on how he stood on his head throughout the tournament. But he took his game to another level today with 27 of his saves coming from the slot and 17 of them coming from the inner slot, according to Hockey Stats
Breakaway save on Connor McDavid in the first period. One of the best stops in Olympic and possibly hockey history made on Devin Toews, with Helly somehow using his paddle to stone a shot with half the net open. Another breakaway save, this one on Macklin Celebrini in the third period. Those are just a few of the prominent saves of the 41 stops Hellebuyck made, willing the US to a gold medal victory.
In the third period, when Canada really tilted the ice, the US benefited from Charlie McAvoy playing goalie, preventing a puck from entering an open net. During that frame, Nathan MacKinnon shanked a shot from near the left faceoff circle with half the cage open, hitting the outside of the net. It seemed like only a matter of time before Canada broke through, but the US bent and didn’t break.
2) Canada dominated the action, but Jack Hughes netted the Game-Winner. After a good first period by the US, who took the lead on a beautiful goal by Matt Boldy—chipping the puck between Devin Toews and Cale Makar before beating Jordan Binnington—Canada raised its game and carried play for the rest of the game. The US was unable to generate much of an attack, going one-and-done on nearly all their forays up ice. Most of the time, the US failed to notch a shot on goal, as Canada blunted any chances and then counterattacked.
In overtime, Binnington, who also had a solid game, blunted a grade A chance, getting the top of his glove on a Quinn Hughes shot. Canada came up ice and appeared to have the edge but Zach Werenski moved the puck in the defensive zone to Jack Hughes, who pushed it around Cale Makar, who had tied the game in the second period. into the offensive zone. Werenski pinched, tying up Nathan MacKinnon, passed the puck to Hughes, who beat Binnington for the Golden Goal. Hughes’ smile, missing a few Chiclets due to a high-stick earlier in the game, was seen throughout the arena.
USA Golden OT Goals:
https://x.com/NathanGraviteh/
3) Special Teams: In every contest, special teams make a difference, but in contests like this, they take on even more importance. The US came into the game perfect on the penalty kill. They ended the game similarly, stoning Canada, including a 5-on-3 in the second period and a late, partial power play in the third.
A year-and-a-half since the deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, the U.S. men’s hockey team celebrated gold with them in mind.
For Johnny Gaudreau. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/rWycdK8NUo
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 22, 2026
Story by: @THNRyanKennedy https://t.co/zl7fc79vCB
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) February 22, 2026
