Jack Hughes Hockey: Overtime, Missing Teeth and an Epic Olympic Gold Finish in Milan
In a dramatic ending at the Milan Cortina Games, jack hughes hockey produced the overtime strike that gave the United States a 2-1 victory over Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game, a finish that capped the Americans’ run to their first Olympic men’s hockey gold since 1980. The goal and the context around it — including a high-stick that left Hughes with missing teeth and a bloody mouth — are central to why the victory is being called an epic finish.
Jack Hughes Hockey: The winning goal and the immediate aftermath
Jack Hughes, wearing No. 86 for the United States, scored the overtime winner past Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington after a little more than 1 1/2 minutes of extra time. The goal completed a 2-1 final in the men’s hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. Photos from the rink showed Hughes celebrating the decisive play and later receiving a gold medal alongside teammate Clayton Keller (No. 91).
High-stick, lost teeth and a bloody mouth
Hughes entered the overtime heroics with visible trauma: he had taken a stick to the mouth from Sam Bennett in the third period, an impact that left him spitting teeth on the ice and with a bloody mouth. He had experienced a similar dental injury previously when one tooth was knocked out in an NHL game a few years earlier. The injury did not prevent him from finishing the game and scoring the eventual winner.
Player details: ages, teams and roles
- Jack Hughes is 24 years old and is a forward for the New Jersey Devils.
- Quinn Hughes, Jack’s older brother, is 26 and is a defenseman for the United States men’s team.
- Clayton Keller, listed as No. 91, is among the teammates who celebrated and received medals with Hughes after the victory.
Historic context: U. S. gold and the 1980 reference
The Americans’ victory in Milan marked the country’s first Olympic gold in men’s hockey since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team that upset the heavily favored Soviet Union at Lake Placid. That historical comparison underscores how the 2026 win is being framed in national hockey lore.
Brother and teammate reactions
Quinn Hughes offered an emotional reaction, saying that Jack loves the game deeply, has enormous passion and is a true gamer who made the decisive play happen. Team imagery showed Jack Hughes and Clayton Keller reacting after receiving their gold medals following the U. S. victory over Canada.
Unfinished notes and outstanding detail
Context includes a fragment that other teammates felt the injured player would be fine: "Other teammates figured that Jack Hughes will be just fine wit" — unclear in the provided context. No further detail about postgame treatment or medical updates is included in the available information.
What is clear from the events in Milan is that jack hughes hockey produced a memorable, hard-fought finish: a player who suffered a facial injury late in regulation returned to score in overtime and clinch Olympic gold for his country, delivering an ending framed by both physical sacrifice and dramatic timing.