In a gold medal game filled with rivalry, emotion and history, Team USA defeated Canada in overtime to capture its first Olympic men’s hockey gold since 1980 — and did so while honoring fallen teammate Johnny Gaudreau.
The Americans secured the victory just two minutes into three-on-three overtime in Milan, stunning a heavily Canadian crowd that had turned the arena into a sea of red and maple leaf flags. The win marked a significant breakthrough for a U.S. team long overshadowed by Canada’s Olympic dominance.
The decisive moment came when Zach Werenski forced a turnover and fed Jack Hughes, who slipped the puck past Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington to seal the historic win. As Hughes celebrated, his teammates rushed the boards in jubilation.
But the night carried deeper meaning for the American squad.
Since arriving in Italy, the team had kept Gaudreau’s jersey in their locker room. The former star forward, who died in a 2024 biking accident in New Jersey, remained a powerful presence in spirit. His family attended the game, and after the win, players skated around the ice holding his jersey high. They later brought his children onto the ice for the team photo, ensuring Gaudreau remained part of the celebration.
“We talked about playing for him, making him proud,” Werenski said afterward. “We did that.”
Canada controlled much of the game offensively, firing 42 shots on goal, but American goalie Connor Hellebuyck delivered a standout performance, turning aside repeated scoring chances to keep the U.S. in contention. His calm and composure under pressure proved decisive in one of the biggest games of his career.
For decades, Canada has dominated Olympic meetings between the two nations, including gold medal wins in the NHL-era Games. This time, however, the Americans overcame history, expectation and a fierce rival to claim the sport’s biggest prize.
While comparisons to the “Miracle on Ice” are inevitable, this was no underdog story. This U.S. roster was packed with NHL stars determined to close the gap and assert themselves on hockey’s grandest stage.
In the end, though, the victory was about more than rivalry or redemption.
“It was for him,” said Brady Tkachuk. “Johnny touched everybody on that ice. We miss him greatly. We did this for him.”
On a night when history was made, Team USA made sure it also kept a promise — winning gold for Johnny Hockey.
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