Hockey? More Like Shock-ey: USA Wins Olympic Gold In Upset Of The Century!
24 Feb, 2026
- 🥅 Hellebuyck’s masterpiece: 40 saves on 41 shots, including multiple third-period denials, as Canada outshot the U.S. 41–26.
- ⏱️ Historic overtime: Jack Hughes scored 1:41 into the first-ever Olympic 3-on-3 OT gold medal game - no shootout, pure sudden death.
- 🏆 46 years later: The win ends America’s men’s hockey gold drought dating back to Lake Placid in 1980
For 46 years, American men’s hockey has lived in the long shadow of Lake Placid. On Sunday night in Milan, Team USA finally stepped out of it, and did it the loudest way possible: 2–1 over Canada for Olympic gold, sealed in overtime by Jack Hughes, the new name etched into American sporting folklore.
This was the last gold medal of the Games. It felt like the whole Olympics was holding its breath. Canada brought the weight of expectation, a roster built for dominance, and a crowd that leaned heavily red-and-white. The United States brought speed, nerve, and a goaltender who simply refused to blink.
Connor Hellebuyck didn’t just win a gold medal. He built it, one save at a time, in what will be remembered as the game of his life. If your parlay paid out, you know who to send a percentage to.
The United States took a 1–0 lead in the first period through Matt Boldy. The winger carried the puck from the neutral zone, maneuvered past two defenders and finished around Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington to give the Americans an early advantage.
Canada controlled much of the puck possession through the middle frame but struggled to convert. The Americans successfully killed a lengthy 5-on-3 disadvantage, blocking shots and limiting second chances in front of Hellebuyck.
Canada tied the game late in the second period. Devon Toews initiated the play from the blue line, moving the puck across to Cale Makar, who stepped into space and beat Hellebuyck to make it 1–1.
The third period was largely played in the U.S. zone. Canada generated sustained pressure and multiple high-quality chances. Hellebuyck stopped Mitch Marner from close range and saw Nathan MacKinnon miss a back-post opportunity that could have put Canada ahead.
The United States nearly retook the lead before regulation ended when Brock Faber struck the post with a slap shot.
READ MORE:
First Olympic 3-on-3 Overtime Decides Gold
Under the revised Olympic format, the gold medal game is decided by 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime with no shootout. Both teams exchanged chances early in the extra period before Hughes found space and beat Binnington for the winner.
The goal secured the United States’ first men’s Olympic hockey gold since the “Miracle on Ice” team at Lake Placid in 1980.
NHL Players return; Crosby Absent
The Milan tournament marked the first Olympic Games since 2014 to include NHL players. Canada entered the final as a favorite but was without captain Sidney Crosby, who missed the game due to a knee injury.
A Final, Powerful Tribute: Gaudreau’s Jersey Lifted In Victory
When the confetti fell and the gold was real, the Americans made sure one more presence was felt.
After the game, USA players carried the jersey of former teammate Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed by a drunk driver in August 2024 - a reminder that teams don’t just win with talent. They win with memory, with grief, with purpose, with each other.
The Miracle on Ice was a myth made real in 1980. This was something else: a modern American masterpiece, built on goaltending, nerve, and a golden finish in the first-ever Olympic 3-on-3 overtime. Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 40 shots in a performance that will be replayed for decades. And, most importantly, in a final defined by pressure, pace and precision, the Americans finished when it mattered.
