The United States have won the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, capturing their first gold medal since the legendary “Miracle on Ice” team of 1980.
The golden goal, coming from New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes, came early in the game’s three-on-three overtime period. It ended what was an iconic game between two hockey heavyweights. An early goal from Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy gave the Americans a 1-0 lead, but the ice began to tilt in the second period. A goal from Colorado Avalanche defender Cale Makar tied the game in the second period.
Canadian pressure was relentless for the rest of regulation time. The Canadians piled up quality scoring chances, but reigning Hart Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck made save after save to keep the game tied. Hellebuyck’s paddle save on Canadian defenseman Devon Toews, breaking up a prime scoring opportunity, will likely now go down as one of the most iconic saves in the history of USA Hockey.
Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin, who constructed this American roster, came under significant criticism during the lead-up to the tournament for some of his roster decisions. His choice to include a pair of New York Rangers veterans, J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck, rather than lethal goal scorers Jason Robertson and Cole Caufield, was one that drew considerable fire. But Guerin maintained all along that he was looking to build not the “best” team, one that would have as many all-stars as possible, but instead the “right” team, one capable of handling all of the adversity a short best-on-best tournament typically provides.
The Americans went through the tournament without a significant amount of adversity, though, at least compared to the Canadians. Sweden gave them a scare during the quarterfinals when Mika Zibanejad tied the game late, but superstar Quinn Hughes pushed the Americans forward with a fast overtime marker. The Americans flew past the Slovaks in the semifinals, and the United States’ games in the knockout round felt very different from Canada’s games, which were marked by late deficits and dramatic comebacks.
In the end, the margin between the United States and Canada was razor thin. While Canada dominated much of the final two periods of the game, the nature of three-on-three overtime is that it provides a clean slate for every team – it is a distinctly different form of hockey than five-on-five. Hellebuyck kept the Americans in the game, and gave them a chance to win it by delivering them to the overtime period. While Canada had a few chances in overtime, Hughes was the first to convert his, and in doing so, he etched his name into international hockey history.
Ah, it feels so sweet.
3 on 3 OT to decide such a consequential game sucks.
I agree, but there is also something to be said for finishing the job in regulation.
Which Canada had seemingly 10 good chances to do.
We got a bit of 4 on 4 in the 3rd at least…
It’ll be interesting to see if the NHLPA pushes for 5 on 5 OT (in elimination games) in 2030. They can make it happen if they want.
I think world rules should be 10 min of 4 on 4. 5 of 3 on 3. Then SO. Meaningful games, like playoffs or medal games, should be continuous OT 4 on 4. I want to see hockey, not who will make a mistake first.
@Ephesians
The NHLPA has no say in international ice hockey rules. They can suggest or request it, but it comes down to the IIHF to apply rules. The PA could also request fighting be allowed to enforce rules that dont get controlled by the refs in IIHF sanctioned games, but its not likely they change the rules for it.
I’m aware, but they could pressure the IIHF to make the change.
@C-Daddy, agreed. I’m ecstatic at the result, but come on, in best on best play the game as it was meant to be played.
Hellebuyck is a freak of nature
I’m rooting for him to at least get a Cup, but the way they’re running the Jets…
More like grounding the Jets >.>
After watching that game, a U.S. gold medal win, honoring Guadreau, it’s crazy people can still find something to complain about.
It’s the Canadians (the people), what do you expect lol. Many Canadians (not all) thought it was automatic for them to win gold. But for Canada, this is all they had going for them since they can’t win a Stanley Cup & haven’t in 3 1/2 decades.
Yes, your beloved Tampa Bay lightning with their 10 Canadians and 2 citizens of the USA have been so successful simply because of the likes of Jake Guentzel and Ryan McDonagh as opposed to the numerous Canadians on it.
@wreckage – what are you rambling about lol?!? This has nothing to do with individual NHL teams. Furthermore, if you could read (which you apparently can’t) I was talking about the fans not the players, dumb@$$.
On a side note: the 2 best players on Tampa are not Canadian, they’re Russian.
I don’t think any Canadian felt this was automatic. We just felt your roster selection was questionable. Your goalies could start for any country, let’s be honest.
*
Grow up
I was for USA and had a strong feeling USA would win especially it being to the day, the 46th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice”. Congratulations to Team USA.
Now, can we get back to business to the regular season and see what happens at the trade deadline.
USA had no business winning that game without Hellebuyck. But! They had Hellebuyck. Incredible performance by him.
jack hughes was phenomenal and clutch the entire olympics!
That was an absolute mugging in the end but an incredible and absorbing game of hockey. You’ve got to take your chances: MacKinnon’s open net miss will loom large, but take nothing away from an incredible performance from Hellebuyck, wow
Great game. Hellebuyck stole the show. Both teams deserved to win but the Americans finished when they needed to. Here’s hoping for the rematch in 2030.
Connor Hellebuyck is Mr. Olympic Gold!!!!!!!!
Yeah, but the guy that didn’t score and was -2 on the day snapped MVP honors. SMH
And only because they ran up the score to 10-1 on the weakest team in the tourney!
Now back to playoff style hockey. With s***load of intensity…
How disappointing for it to end 3v3. Put an asterisk next to this one. Neutral observer btw. Glad for Jack but sad for hockey fans.
While I agree, I think the knockout round games should all be 5v5 in OT, I disagree about the asterisk. The rules of past Olympics have always been different and changed regularly. They used to not use NHL players, they used to have to not have shootouts, etc. So, all you can do is play by the rules that are in place and every team knows what they are. Again, I agree it’s a shame that it wasn’t 5v5 but this one still counts as much as any other.
No asterisk needed. We had plenty of chances to win the game and Hellebuyck played amazing. It was our top 3 players that could’ve scored in OT and they blew it.
Have to disagree. Every other Olympian had to win the final 5v5. It devalues every previous iterations and disrespects those players to say this was on their level. I also blame the rule makers, not the players. Doesn’t change the asterisk.
An asterisk?!?…Give me a break. You act like cheating was done and so forth for USA to win. That’s just ridiculous and total disrespect.
The asterisk is no Russian team participation. Not wading into the politics just the black and white reality that not all the great teams were in this tournament.
@letsgonats – Because no Russian team, there should be an asterisk now?!? That’s absurd. That’s not team USA’s fault. Why not put an asterisk on the 4 Nations too when Canada won as Russia wasn’t participating in that either. This nitpicking is utter nonsense. If Canada won, none of this nonsense would be going on. The fact is simple, certain people hate USA won and just can’t handle it.
My point was if there is an asterisk, it is not the 3×3 OT format which I don’t like but since they have to wrap the Olympics up tonight they probably fear a 5 OT game! but the lack of all the best teams in the world participating to determined the best and for that I put asterisk on both tournaments. I really enjoyed both Olympics and 4 Nations but not being able to see Kucherov,Kaprisov, Vasielesky,et al just means not all the best players are at this tournament.
I mean, I’ll take the gold but beating Russia is even more sweet way to get there :)
Ok, then there should be an asterisk on 2010 because that was 4 on 4.
You and your clan can babble all day about asterisks. No record book will have them.
Would you rather have it end in a shootout like in 1994?
Although they’re not wrong for suggesting the product suffered due to a lack of… Participation.
Like if the Yankees won, but the Dodgers didn’t play that year (let’s say random political stance), it would naturally hurt the game.
It shouldn’t take away from the fact that they grinded through the tourney to win the gold.
I had a feeling chemistry may be an issue, as Canada isn’t built with any familiar faces outside of the Avs trio, and it showed with sloppy play and over passing in many scenarios. Broken plays, the list goes on. Brothers have that natural chemistry… Quinn Hughes is the X Factor here and it’s quite possible the Four Nations would’ve been a different result with him. Kudos to team USA, no asterisk needed, regardless of format.
Frankly, I don’t care how it ends. It’s dumb to complain. Both Canadian and American fans had no issue with OT when they won the games to get into the gold medal game. And all the teams knew in advance the format and could team build for it. People complaining are just coping.
Totally on point. We all play by the same rules.
Anyone who says no pros in olympics Seriously. Have fun watching gary bettman overexpanded lame NHl. Just wait Atlanta/arizona will have teams before He retires. I maybe back for playoffs. Play 3 on 3 till someone scores for win. games will be over couple minutes no stupid shootout. give me 3on3 over shootout anytime.
Do U.S.A people have to make everything today about their politics. It was excellent game . Just enjoy the victory.
Are you new to this stuff? Do you really think that Gary Bettman makes these decisions? You are not aware that he is employed by the league owners and carries out their wishes?
Very one-sided game, US was thoroughly outplayed here, but Canada was struck down by Binnington and failing to score even on easy chances!
The Matthews fan boys will of course find something to praise him as the game winner, but Jack Hughes and especially Jack Eichel were the way better and more important forwards throughout the tournament. Eichel made some very important defensive plays today and it was always notable when he was on the ice.
Didn’t expect him to stand out in this way really
Neither of the goals were on Binnington. Both goalies played well.
Blaming it on Binnington is an insane take. Yes, Hellebuyck was the difference maker but the expectation should not be that you have to pitch a shutout against an all star team
I am an Logan Thompson fan boy and thought Canada should have played him all tourney but in no way was this loss on Binnington. That was a team loss and not really faulting Binnington on those goals.
I was going for Sweden originally, but my secondary was the US. Great job, y’all deserved it! Go US!
Oh my. I was going to say Hellebuyck!!
Don’t think it would have made a positive difference if they chose another goalie. Binnington was surprisingly giod
USA….USA….USA!!! 🇺🇲🥇
I liked our 1st period and 2nd period thru the 5 on 3 PK, but we got passive again just like in the Sweden game, and if not for Hellebuyck (who should have a statue made of him), we lose this game. But we (finally) got it done!!! 🥇🥇🥇
It was a hell of a good game. Clearly the two best squads in the Olympics this year. That it was decided in OT only underscores the competitiveness of both.
North American hockey produced the best final game in this round of Olympics. Hats off to all the players. Now lets get back to the NHL season!
I’m not sure that Canadian fans realize that every single complaint, protest that it wasn’t fair, claim that they were somehow the ‘better’ team, and general miserable comment makes this 100x more fun as an American. Please. Keep that energy up, because it’s fantastic to read over and over (as I’m sure it was fun for Canadians to read Americans saying the same nonsense last year in a similarly close, intense OT game).
That said, while I’ve never rooted for him, folks giving McDavid trophies in games he loses is brutal. I can’t believe it keeps happening. These awards have to just be a reminder of what he doesn’t have, and it’s either hilarious or heartbreaking, depending on your perspective.
The only thing I’ll say to that is that there were way too many players on the ice!!!
The Americans earned the win fairly.
The 3on3 for the medal games is stupid for both men and women. At least 1 overtime period of 5on5.
Both are true.
Helles yes!!
Doubt Cash Patel goes in locker room if they lose. Notice He did not appear in public afraid someone may boo. NBC will have change sound . LMAO
Excellent example of bitterness.
Please do not debate the 3 on 3. The Olympics is about schedule and timing. They can not have a game going 3 OTS and 3 hours over. Everyone knows and accepts that going in.
Hellebuyck stole the game. Good for him and Team USA.
The state of hockey is the best it has ever been around the globe.
The only asterisk is not letting the Russians compete. So stupid and dumb.
Good for the Hughes brothers, total class. Those guys make American’s proud.
NHL is about to get crazy. What is the first trade to be announced tomorrow morning?
The russians don’t deserve to play
Like most Stanley Cup series, a hot goalie can change the direction of a game / series.
Hellebuyck’s performance reminds me of Mike Richter’s performance in the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Richter shut down a stacked Canada team.
Keith Tkachuk was also on that US team.
The Gaudreau PANDERING has to stop, It’s beyond ridiculous, And, Very unhealthy!!!!!!
You go Wilf. Please keep posting. Your bitterness and horrible takes continue to be must-see entertainment.
Where are the know-it-alls and blowhards who told us that Bill Guerin could not put together a Gold Medal team, that no team with Auston Matthews as captain would ever win anything, and that leaving Jason Robertson and/or Cole Caufield off the team would leave them short of goal scoring?
MacKinnon & Toews – can’t miss those chances. Congrats to Team USA.
It’s the only game that made sense at the Olympics. All other games were unnecessary and not a good spectacle.
A 5-game series would have been perfect. It would be a great spectacle. Also, in a single game, the chances of the best team losing are too high, just because a hot goalie can steal a game.
Lots of hotel rooms for Canadians to come and see a Stanley Cup and Gold Medal. Florida welcomes visitors!
Shame on the American Players for their actions in the dressing room while celebrating the win.
Its strange that this “goalie stole it” stuff is even brought up as some kind of excuse. Let me ask the gang, since when ISN’T the goalie a big part of any hockey team’s game especially in OT?
Had Binnington “stolen” the OT win, what would these comments then be?