Feb. 22, 2026 — Milan, Italy The U.S. men’s hockey team defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win its first Olympic gold medal in 46 years during the gold medal game at the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Jack Hughes scored the game-winner at 1:41 of overtime off a pass from Zach Werenski, while goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 41 saves in a standout performance.
Matt Boldy gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead at 6:00 of the first period with a backhand deke past Jordan Binnington, marking the fastest goal to open an Olympic gold medal game featuring NHL players. Cale Makar tied it at 1-1 for Canada with a snap shot at 18:16 of the second period. Canada outshot the U.S. 42-28 overall, including a 19-8 edge in the second, but Hellebuyck’s key stops, including a third-period stick save on Devon Toews, preserved the opportunity.
“I can’t even believe this… I mean, it’s such an unbelievable game, USA-Canada. That’s such a good game. They have so many great players. We’re a great team.”
— Jack Hughes, via NHL.com
The victory marked the second overtime goal in an Olympic gold medal game with NHL participation and came on the 46th anniversary of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice.” Canada played without Sidney Crosby, sidelined by a lower-body injury from the quarterfinals.
“There is no better feeling in the world… This is that.”
— Charlie McAvoy, via NHL.com
Hellebuyck’s effort drew comparisons to Jim Craig’s 1980 performance, with teammate Matthew Tkachuk calling it “an all-time performance.”
The win generated widespread excitement, with USA Today noting reactions to the first gold since 1980 and AP News describing a “glorious weekend” for Team USA. On X, the New York Post post amassed 3.9K likes, while WSJ and Washington Post highlighted Hughes’ dramatic goal.
USA finally wins Olympic gold 46 years after 'Miracle' with breathtaking overtime win over rival Canada link
— NY Post (@nypost) February 22, 2026
From the Canadian side, CBC Sports reported heartbreak despite a strong effort. USA Hockey celebrated the “GOLDEN” achievement.
