USA Honors Gold Medal Hockey Heroes After Historic 2026 Olympic Victory
America is celebrating. For the first time since the legendary "Miracle on Ice" 46 years ago to the day, the United States men's ice hockey team is Olympic gold medalists. Team USA defeated Canada 2–1 in overtime at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22 — the exact anniversary of that 1980 Lake Placid triumph — and the entire country erupted in the kind of celebration that only hockey gold can deliver. From the locker room in Milan to the White House in Washington, the USA honors gold medal winners with an outpouring of national pride.
Jack Hughes Scores the Golden Goal, Ends 46-Year Drought
Jack Hughes scored the game-winning golden goal early in the first 3-on-3 overtime period, assisted by Zach Werenski, who wrestled the puck away from Canada's Nathan MacKinnon and sent a cross-ice feed to an open Hughes. The shot beat Jordan Binnington clean, igniting an explosion on the ice and in arenas and living rooms across North America.
It's only the third gold medal ever for the U.S. men's hockey team, and the first since 1980. The U.S. won gold previously at the 1960 Squaw Valley Games and then at Lake Placid with Mike Eruzione's legendary squad.
Hughes made no secret of what the moment meant. "This is all about our country. I love the USA, I love our teammates," Hughes said on the broadcast. "I'm so proud to be American today... Just a ballsy, gutsy win. That's American hockey right there. Tonight was all for the country."
Hellebuyck: The Wall That Won Gold
The story of the gold medal game is impossible to tell without Connor Hellebuyck. Fueled by a spectacular performance from Hellebuyck — who turned away 41 of 42 Canadian shot attempts — Team USA held off a Canada squad that dominated possession and outshot the Americans 42–28 through regulation and overtime.
Canada generated breakaway after breakaway — Macklin Celebrini twice, Connor McDavid in the second period, Devon Toews, Nathan MacKinnon — and Hellebuyck turned them all away. Hughes didn't hesitate in the postgame interview to name his MVP: "Unbelievable game by Hellebuyck. He was our best player tonight by a mile."
The game's lone regulation goals came from Matt Boldy (USA, 6:00 into the first period) and Cale Makar (Canada, 1:44 left in the second period), leaving it 1–1 after 60 breathless minutes.
USA Gold Medal Hockey: Final Stats at a Glance
| Category | USA | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 2 (OT) | 1 |
| Golden Goal | Jack Hughes (1:41 OT) | — |
| Golden Goal Assist | Zach Werenski | — |
| Regulation Goals | Matt Boldy (P1) | Cale Makar (P2) |
| Shots on Goal | 28 | 42 |
| Hellebuyck Saves | 41 | — |
| Jack Hughes (tournament) | 4G, 3A | — |
| Quinn Hughes (tournament) | 1G, 7A | — |
| Goaltenders | Hellebuyck | Binnington |
A Family Affair and a Tribute to Johnny Gaudreau
The USA gold medal hockey triumph was a deeply family affair. Quinn Hughes scored the overtime winner against Sweden in the quarterfinal, and his brother Jack followed with the overtime winner in the final. Their mother, Ellen, who works with the USA Hockey women's team, also celebrated gold as the American women captured the Olympic title.
The celebration carried profound emotional weight beyond the ice. As part of the celebration, U.S. captain Auston Matthews, Werenski, and Matthew Tkachuk skated around the ice with the jersey of the late Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed alongside his brother in 2024 when struck by a vehicle while riding bicycles. Gaudreau would have been a candidate for this Olympic team. Following the medal ceremony, U.S. players brought out two of Gaudreau's kids on the ice to take a picture with the team and their late father's jersey.
Historic Gold Medal Sweep — Men's and Women's
For the first time ever, both the men's and women's hockey teams have won Olympic gold, and both did so in overtime against bitter rival Canada — Jack Hughes and Megan Keller delivering the game-winning goals respectively.
The women's team won gold on February 19, with Hilary Knight tying the game late in the third period before Keller sealed it 4:07 into overtime. The men's gold completes a perfect hockey weekend for the United States.
Team USA took home its most gold medals ever at a single Winter Games, beating its previous high of 10.
White House and Nation React
The celebrations were immediate and national. U.S. President Donald Trump took to social media to congratulate the team: "Congratulations to our great U.S.A. Ice Hockey team. THEY WON THE GOLD. WOW! President DONALD J. TRUMP." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on X that Team Canada made its country proud with a hard-fought silver.
U.S. fans loudly chanted "USA!" inside the arena and gave a thunderous cheer for Jack Hughes after his game-winning goal. Sidney Crosby, sidelined by injury, was dressed and present on the ice for the medal ceremony — watching his rivals receive their gold medals just feet away.
The Milano Cortina 2026 closing ceremony takes place tonight at 2:30 PM ET at the Arena di Verona, where Italy passes the Olympic torch to France for the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps.
