Jack Hughes' golden goal lifts U.S. to Olympic hockey gold; jack hughes seals 2-1 win
jack hughes scored the game-winning goal early in 3-on-3 overtime to give the United States a 2-1 victory over Canada and the nation's first Olympic men's hockey gold since 1980. The goal and a remarkable performance from goalie Connor Hellebuyck left teammates, former players and national leaders celebrating in Milan.
How the golden goal unfolded in Milan
Hughes finished the marathon match less than two minutes into extra time when Zach Werenski wrestled the puck away from Nathan MacKinnon and sent a cross-ice feed to an open Hughes, who put the shot past Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington. The sequence ended a 2-1 game in favor of the United States and sparked an on-ice celebration that saw gloves flying as the Americans embraced.
Chipped tooth, high-sticking penalty and the four-minute power play
Jack Hughes had at least one front tooth chipped in the third period after taking a high-sticking penalty from Sam Bennett, a foul that resulted in a four-minute power play for the U. S. Hughes said his first thought was to draw the penalty and that he also looked on the ice and saw his teeth. Matt Boldy quipped that more people will be looking at Hughes' medal than his teeth.
Connor Hellebuyck's goaltending and the redemption arc
U. S. goalie Connor Hellebuyck was credited with a standout night in net. One account said Hellebuyck stopped 41 shots to keep the game tied heading into overtime; another account noted 40 saves and highlighted several signature stops. In the third period he used his paddle to stop Devon Toews from tucking a rebound into a wide-open net, and he stuffed Connor McDavid on a breakaway in the second period. Hellebuyck, the reigning Vezina and Hart Trophy winner, had struggled in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs for the Winnipeg Jets—being pulled three times in the first round versus the St. Louis Blues—but the Olympic win represented a personal redemption. Matthew Tkachuk called it "one of the best performances of all time, " placing it alongside great U. S. goaltending moments like Jimmy Craig in 1980, and Dylan Larkin said, "That guy should never buy a drink in [his home] state of Michigan ever again. " Hellebuyck also pushed back at critics, saying, "Those critics, they can keep writing, " and, "But they don't understand goaltending. They don't understand my game. I know w"—the remark was incomplete in the provided context.
Early scoring, regulation play and tournament sweep
Matt Boldy opened scoring for the Americans in the first period, splitting two Canadian defenders and getting a shot past Jordan Binnington; Cale Makar tied the game in the second period. Neither team scored in the third, sending the contest to 3-on-3 overtime. The U. S. final score of 2-1 ended a 46-year gap since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice, " and completed a clean sweep for USA Hockey after the American women defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime on Thursday.
Teammates' reactions, tributes to Johnny Gaudreau and outside response
Quinn Hughes, Jack's brother and a U. S. defenseman, praised his sibling as "a freaking gamer, " calling him mentally tough and an "American hero. " Charlie McAvoy described the immediate celebration as a blackout of euphoria—he said he could not recall who he was hugging or where he was going. The U. S. team also carried the late Johnny Gaudreau's jersey onto the ice in tribute after the win: captain Auston Matthews, alternate Matthew Tkachuk and defenseman Zach Werenski held up Gaudreau's sweater while taking a lap, and the team brought Johnny Gaudreau's children onto the ice for the team photo.
Public reactions and political response
Former President Donald Trump reacted on Truth Social as Team USA celebrated in Milan, writing, "Congratulations to our great U. S. A. Ice Hockey team. THEY WON THE GOLD. WOW!" and adding, "WHAT A GAME!!!" and "LOTS OF WINNING!!!" The Fox account noted that Trump had danced after speaking at a rally at Coosa Steel Corporation in Rome, Georgia, on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, and said that his political prodding of Canada had helped reignite the rivalry between the nations, which began last year during the 4 Nations Face-Off. Former player P. K. Subban was also full of praise for Team USA after the victory.
Across the tournament, Jack Hughes finished with four goals, seven points and a plus-8 rating and emerged as an Olympic gold medalist celebrated by teammates and fans as an American legend.
