Jack Hughes Delivers as USA Dethrones Canada in Olympic Hockey Thriller
Michael Russo
Summary
The United States men's hockey team won Olympic gold for the first time since 1980, defeating Canada 2-1 in three-on-three overtime at the 2026 Milan Olympics, with Jack Hughes scoring the game-winner and goalie Connor Hellebuyck making 41 saves. The victory ended Canada's 15-game winning streak in best-on-best Olympic hockey and was led by captain Auston Matthews and a standout performance from Hellebuyck.
Forty-six years after the United States won its last men’s hockey gold medal at the Olympics, the U.S. has reached the top of the mountain again, ending Canada’s dominance in best-on-best hockey Sunday afternoon.
This wasn’t 20 college kids capturing the hearts of a nation by ending the Soviet Union’s reign. These were 25 NHL stars finally finding a way to defeat the likes of Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.
Jack Hughes’ “Golden Goal” 1:41 into three-on-three overtime delivered the United States a 2-1 win over Canada, its third men’s hockey gold medal and first since 1980. Hughes scored the game-winner, bloodied and with lost teeth after a third-period high stick.
“I’m going to remember Jack’s goal forever,” said Hughes’ longtime national team teammate, Matt Boldy, who scored the game’s first goal.
“Jacko, that moment. I can’t wait to watch it again,” said Dylan Larkin. “The difference between a guy that wants the puck on his stick in that moment, if you watch the video, I turn and go back. He wants it and he f—ing put it in the net. That’s what superstar players do. Just that moment for us, that’s gonna stick with me for the rest of my life.”
After the win, President Donald Trump called into the United States’ locker room to congratulate the team, and FBI director Kash Patel celebrated with the team in person.
“He just spoke to the group, expressing how proud he was of the group and congratulating everybody on the win,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “Obviously this game in a lot of ways was an inspiration to our country. I can’t tell you how many texts I’ve received over the last day or so about watch parties at 8 in the morning. I think from a viewership standpoint in the United States, there were a lot of people paying attention, the President included.”
Canada had won 15 consecutive games in best-on-best Olympics since losing to the United States in the 2010 round robin. It had been nothing but wins since Sidney Crosby’s “Golden Goal” after Zach Parise’s exhilarating tying goal forced overtime at the Vancouver Olympics.
The Americans abided exactly by the advice offered by 1980 “Miracle on Ice” captain Mike Eruzione when he dropped by Team USA’s Winter House to have lunch with the team Saturday.
“Just leave it all out there,” 2026 United States captain Auston Matthews recounted. “This is what you play for, what we came here for. We don’t get these moments all the time. The Olympics comes around every four years. So you want to embrace it … and leave it all on the ice.”
Connor Hellebuyck sure did, as he was a one-man show during an all-time-great performance. In a game where Canada outshot the U.S. 42-28, Hellebuyck did everything in his power during a 41-save masterpiece to ensure gold medals for his 24 teammates.
“Oh my gosh, they’re going to be talking about this performance for generations,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “It was an all-time performance from a superstar at his position. It’s gonna go down as one of the best performances of all time — it has to. Right up there with Jimmy Craig, all the great United States goaltenders.”
In the second period, Hellebuyck denied McDavid on a breakaway. In the third period, he denied Macklin Celebrini and robbed Devon Toews of a tap-in into an open net. He stood firm with persistent pressure.
“That guy should never buy a drink in the state of Michigan ever again,” Larkin said.
And what a roller-coaster end of the game for Hughes.
First, Quinn’s younger brother drew a four-minute power play, and “the first thing I see is my teeth on the ice,” he said. Then he negated the final 49 seconds of the second power play with a high-sticking penalty himself.
“I pictured myself on Barstool being the guy that America hates because Canada scores on the power play,” Hughes said. “Glad we got out of that pickle I put us in.”
Then, in overtime, he first had to defend McDavid coming at him full steam, then finished with the goal of his life.
“Good play by Larks and (Zach Werenski), and Z found me,” Hughes said.
Meanwhile, Team Canada’s impressive best-on-best Olympic streak is over. The loss Sunday snapped that long win streak at best-on-best with NHL players at the Olympics. It also snapped Team Canada’s incredible run at best-on-best overall; Canada won gold in Vancouver 2010, in Sochi in 2014, at the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 and at the 4 Nations last year.
The Canadians failed to win gold despite outstanding performances from tournament-leading scorer McDavid and 19-year-old phenom Celebrini.
Team Canada once again played without the sport’s ultimate leader, Crosby, who was ruled out for Sunday’s game despite trying so hard behind the scenes to play. He skated in Canada’s closed practice on Saturday. Crosby suffered a lower-body injury in Wednesday’s quarterfinal win over the Czech Republic, and the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar was unable to suit up for Friday’s semifinals.
“It was a tough decision, obviously in your head you always want to be out there and find every way possible,” Crosby said. “But not at the expense of what needs to be done. And then watching how we played today, the guys played incredible.’’
These will most likely be the final Olympics for the 38-year-old two-time gold medalist from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. The all-time Canadian scoring leader at best-on-best Olympics, Crosby’s international era as Team Canada captain has been nothing short of spectacular.
“I don’t even know what words to use,” said defenseman Drew Doughty, the only other player to skate alongside Crosby in two previous Olympics. “I mean, he’s the guy that showed all the young guys, young players growing up, what it means to be Canadian, what it means to be a Canadian hockey player.”
Team Canada was also without top-four defenseman Josh Morrissey (upper body) yet again. Slated to team up with Colton Parayko again as Canada’s top shutdown pair, as they were at the 4 Nations a year ago, Morrissey was injured in the Olympic opening game and never was able to make his way back, despite skating at a few practices. Morrissey’s loss in this tournament was significant, especially in the gold medal game, as Canada struggled at times to get the puck out of its zone pressured by an effective U.S. forecheck.
The loss on Sunday will also ignite debate in Canada about the roster selection, notably leaving the likes of Matthew Schaefer, Evan Bouchard and Connor Bedard at home.
But the performances of teams such as bronze medalist Finland and especially surprising Slovakia in this tournament are also indicative of how much more parity there is now in men’s international hockey. Powerhouse Sweden failed to reach the semifinals, which was a surprise. The Czech Republic is back as a hockey power, too, almost knocking out Canada in the quarterfinals.
This isn’t a two-team tournament.
“I think it’s easy for people to sit back and say, you know, this game is always going to happen,’’ McDavid said Saturday of the USA-Canada matchup. “It wasn’t always the case. You know, games have been so, so close, you know, they were one shot away from being out, we were one shot away from being out. You know, it’s so, so tight. Hockey across the globe is in such a good place with (the) Swiss, the Slovaks, everybody. I mean, it was, it’s been such a competitive tournament all over. I think we saw that this tournament.’”
Sullivan, who said this was the best collection of Americans he has ever seen, offered perspective to his team in the days leading up to gold. In the 100-plus years of United States men’s hockey teams participating in the Olympics, only 36 hockey players have snatched that gold medal between the 1960 and 1980 victorious teams.
Add 25 others.
“It’s the best feeling in the world. I don’t know. It’s incredible,” defenseman Brock Faber said. “It just felt right. Just the way Helly played, can’t give him enough credit. They had so many chances, and Helly showed why he’s the best goalie in the world.
“Our leaders, our captain, the amount of people that talk about Auston, who don’t understand what he brings to the table on the defensive side, too. We don’t win without him as our captain, and say what you want about him, he does what it takes to win hockey games. I can’t say enough good words about him and how good a leader he is.”
After the game, Jack Hughes said, “I think it doesn’t matter what anyone says now. Auston Matthews is a winner. Auston Matthews is an Olympic gold medalist.”
Added older brother Quinn Hughes: “That’s what the media in Toronto should be saying now. Auston Matthews led us to a championship.”
After years of heartbreak, the inferiority complex toward Canada has finally disappeared. The United States is right on par with the powerhouse north of the border. USA Hockey has never been stronger, as we’ve seen in recent World Juniors and last year’s World Championship.
“Representing the USA, it’s been an honor of a lifetime doing this on this stage,” Werenski said. “We felt the support from back home. We felt it in the Village, we felt it from all the other athletes, around the city, tonight in the building. I feel like we maybe united the country, and that says something.”
