United States captures gold with OT win over Canada
The United States of America is back on top of the hockey world as gold medal winners at the Olympics.
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 22: Jack Hughes #86 of Team United States celebrates with teammates after scoring the game-winning goal to win the gold medals in overtime during the Men’s Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
For the first time since 1980's Miracle on Ice, the United States men's Olympic program is back on top of the hockey world as gold medal winners.
The Americans made it as dramatic as they could, too, as it was forward Jack Hughes who dashed Canada's dreams of gold with an overtime goal at the 1:41 mark of the three-on-three overtime. Fittingly, it was the first gold medal-winning overtime goal since Sidney Crosby scored the gold medal-winning overtime goal against the United States back in 2010.
The United States jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the six minute mark of the opening frame with a strike from Massachusetts native Matthew Boldy, with assists to Auston Matthews and Quinn Hughes.
Playing with the lead in the first, Team USA missed a golden opportunity to push their lead out to two before the end of the first period (headlined by Matthews opting not to shoot right in front of the net on a power-play opportunity), and the predictable takeover came from the Canadians in the middle frame.
In a second period that saw Canada outshoot the United States by a 19-8 mark, the Americans survived a 1:33 5-on-3 kill with both Jake Guentzel and Charlie McAvoy in the box. But the Canadians ultimately knotted things up when Cale Makar found enough open space to rip a shot through Connor Hellebucyk.
And from there, it really was the Hellebuyck show for the USA.
As Canada poured it on, the Michigan native and UMass-Lowell alum stood tall and gave the Americans everything he had. And it took almost everything he had, as Canada landed 33 shots on goal over the final two periods of regulation, and were downright dominating the third period until Sam Bennett was whistled for a double-minor high-sticking penalty that cost Jack Hughes a few teeth.
In the American crease, Hellebucyk finished with 40 saves, and was by far the team's top player in this contest. At the other end of the rink, Jordan Binnington's big-game luck finally ran out with a 24-of-26 showing in goal.
Canada was forced to play this game without captain Sidney Crosby. The 38-year-old Crosby, who suffered a lower-body injury in Canada's quarterfinals win over Czechia, was considered a game-time decision but ultimately couldn't go.
