For the first time since Team USA’s unforgettable run at the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid, the U.S. stands atop Olympic men’s hockey.
Team USA defeated Canada 2-1 at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan in a riveting overtime final, capturing its third men’s Olympic gold. The victory came exactly 46 years after the “Miracle on Ice” team stunned the Soviet Union en route to gold in 1980. The win also completed a historic Olympic sweep for the United States, marking the first time the nation claimed both men’s and women’s hockey gold at the same Games.
The hero this time was Jack Hughes, who buried the winner just 1:41 into 3-on-3 overtime. Taking a pass from Zach Werenski, Hughes fired home the decisive goal, igniting a wild on-ice celebration while the Canadian bench looked on. “I can’t even believe this,” Hughes said. “I mean, it’s such an unbelievable game, USA-Canada. Such a good game. There’s so many great players. We’re a great team. That’s exactly how we wanted it to go. We’re underdogs to Canada, (but we) beat them. It could have gone either way.”
Earlier in the game, Matt Boldy opened the scoring exactly six minutes in, finishing a slick setup from Auston Matthews by maneuvering through defenders and slipping a backhand past Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington. Canada responded late in the second period when Cale Makar tied it with help from Devon Toews.
From there, the spotlight belonged to Connor Hellebuyck. Under relentless pressure — Canada outshot the U.S. 41-26 — Hellebuyck turned aside 41 of 42 attempts. He made a crucial stick save on Toews in the third period and denied breakaways from both Macklin Celebrini and Connor McDavid to keep the Americans alive. “Unbelievable game by Hellebuyck,” Hughes said. “He was our best player by a mile.”
The game was played at a blistering pace, packed with heavy hits and tense post-whistle scrums. Team USA’s penalty kill was flawless throughout the tournament, finishing a perfect 18-for-18. Werenski and Matthew Tkachuk skated with a No. 13 jersey honoring Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed along with his brother in 2024. Gaudreau’s parents, widow, and children were present, and his son celebrated his second birthday on the ice during the team photo. “He was so near and dear to us,” Brady Tkachuk said of the player known as “Johnny Hockey.” “We did it for him.”
Unlike the 1980 squad made up largely of college players, this American team featured a veteran NHL core shaped by USA Hockey’s development system. All but two players came through the National Team Development Program, including Matthews, the Tkachuk brothers, Hughes and his brother Quinn, and Jack Eichel. The chemistry built over years of international play proved decisive.
As Hughes, who lost teeth to a high stick earlier in the game, celebrated with his teammates, he summed up what the victory meant. “This is all about our country right now. I love the U.S.A. I love my teammates. It’s unbelievable. The USA Hockey brotherhood is so strong.”
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