2026 Winter Olympics: Jack Hughes' shattered smile and the contested U.S.-Canada finale
The United States beat Canada 2-1 in overtime in Milan, and Jack Hughes’ game-winning goal — delivered with a bloodied, shuttered smile — became the defining image of the 2026 winter olympics. The match produced dramatic moments on the ice and debate off it, from a multi-minute power play opened by a violent high stick to a controversial three-on-three overtime format.
Hughes’ golden goal in Milan and the moment captured
Jack Hughes finished the match by racing down the ice and burying Zach Werenski’s feed for the decisive goal, completing a 2-1 overtime victory for Team USA over Canada in Milan. Moments after scoring the golden goal Hughes stood with the American flag draped around his shoulders, his right fist raised, hair sweaty and his face bloodied; the shattered smile drew intense attention. Hughes did not miss a shift after the incident and ended the tournament with four goals and three assists in Milan, his final shot the biggest of them all.
Teeth, penalties and momentum swings after a high stick by Sam Bennett
The game’s emotional arc shifted when Canada’s Sam Bennett, with a high stick to Hughes’ mouth, knocked out at least three teeth and drew a massive four-minute power play for the Americans. Hughes later high-sticked Bo Horvat during the power play, nullifying the remainder of that advantage. Matt Boldy, who earlier scored six minutes into the opening period to give Team USA an early lead, said, "Who cares at this point?" and added, "To be honest, I think more people are looking at his medal than his teeth. " Hughes himself said his first thought was to draw the penalty and that "my first thought (was), I looked on the ice and saw my teeth. "
2026 Winter Olympics overtime controversy: a 20-minute three-on-three decision
The gold medal was decided in a 20-minute three-on-three overtime session rather than the traditional five-on-five format. Canada had controlled much of the action at even strength, and many felt the momentum favored the Canadians had the game continued five-on-five; instead, the open ice of three-on-three played into the Americans’ hands. Connor Hellebuyck finished the night with 41 saves, an advanced-metric figure of 4. 6 goals saved above expected, and facing a 42-shot barrage for much of the contest he limited Canada to just one goal in regulation. His effort is already being discussed among the greatest single-game goaltending performances in international hockey history.
From fourth-liner to final hero: Hughes’ tournament arc and past injuries
Hughes began the tournament as a fourth-liner for Team USA and had scored just one goal in his last 18 NHL games with the Devils after returning from a hand injury suffered at a Chicago steakhouse. Teammates and family highlighted his mental toughness: Quinn Hughes called him "a freaking gamer" and said he had "been through a lot, loves the game. American hero. " Vincent Trocheck offered a more wry take on the dental damage, saying, "It’s pretty easy (to move on). You lose a lot of teeth as an NHLer. They get straighter as you lose them more. " The spectacle of Hughes’ broken smile invited comparison to older moments of grit on the ice — notably when Duncan Keith took a Patrick Marleau slap shot in 2010, lost seven teeth, missed just seven minutes while getting emergency repairs and later said, "Long way from the heart. "
Dallas Stars’ pair: Jake Oettinger’s gold without action and Thomas Harley’s silver on the ice
Two members of the Dallas Stars left the tournament with medals but very different experiences. Jake Oettinger, the 27-year-old who served as Team USA’s third netminder, did not see game action during the Olympics and returns to Dallas with a gold medal but without the on-ice experience many had hoped he would gain. Thomas Harley, playing defense for Team Canada, logged significant minutes in the gold medal contest and throughout the tournament; in the final he recorded 20: 33 of ice time and one shot on goal. Over six tournament games Harley tallied one goal and three assists for four points. Harley and Oettinger, along with the rest of the Stars’ Olympic contingent, are set to return to NHL play Wednesday when the Stars host the Seattle Kraken.
