Connor Hellebuyck's 41 saves, miracle stick stop and the 'Secretary of Defense' nickname that followed Olympic gold
Team USA goaltender connor hellebuyck delivered a 41-save performance in a 2-1 overtime victory against Canada that secured the United States' first Olympic men's hockey gold since 1980, and his work between the pipes prompted a high-profile political endorsement of a social media nickname.
Why Connor Hellebuyck's night mattered
The men's hockey gold medal game at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 finished 2-1 in overtime after Jack Hughes scored the game-winner past Canada's netminder Jordan Binnington. Hellebuyck's 41 saves kept the United States level through regulation and created the chance for overtime success on Feb. 22, 2026 at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy (also referenced as Santaguilia Arena). The victory ended the country's long Olympic gold drought dating back to 1980.
Miracle stick save and sequence that shifted the game
In the opening minutes of the second period, Canada defenseman Devon Toews crept into the slot a few feet from Hellebuyck and appeared to have an open net. Hellebuyck, facing the corner where the puck originated, reached behind himself and made contact with the puck using the blade of his stick, turning quickly with his right hand to stop the puck. That stop — one of 41 on the night — left the Canadians searching for a goal and preserved a 1-1 score that held through the end of the second and the third periods, forcing overtime.
Connor Hellebuyck: two huge third-period saves and the emotional aftermath
Hellebuyck also made two huge third-period saves against Canada that helped blunt grade-A chances, including a moment when assistant captain Nathan MacKinnon missed a wide-open net in the third period. The 32-year-old goaltender briefly surrendered a goal to Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar in the second period but followed with multiple key stops. After the final horn, Hellebuyck skated around the ice alone with an American flag on his back as the crowd roared.
Reactions: from former goalies to teammates and public figures
Former U. S. goalie Mike Richter praised Hellebuyck's persistence, saying he watched the signature save on replay multiple times and noting the key trait of not giving up on the puck. Richter invoked the names of legendary Olympic goalies Patrick Roy, Dominik Hasek and Jim Craig when assessing the performance and judged Hellebuyck to have been in perfect position and intensely determined on the play.
Defenseman Charlie McAvoy said he identified the Toews stop as the turning point in the moment, yelling to teammates that it was "the one" and joking that it was the turning point to remember. Forward Sam Bennett said Canada generated many looks but that sometimes a goalie steals a game, and Hellebuyck did just that.
Political nickname and endorsements after the game
A social media account dubbed Hellebuyck the "Secretary of Defense, " and United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth — who held that title before the agency he leads became known as the Department of War last September — endorsed the designation and celebrated the performance. Hegseth wrote, "Now we have a Secretary of War…and a Secretary of Defense!"
Voices from the coverage and final notes
Sportscaster Jim Gray discussed Team USA's overtime victory and correspondent Madison Scarpino reported on the gold medal outcome as part of wider postgame coverage. Hellebuyck described the result as a dream come true, saying the group grinded and battled and that it was some of the best and most fun hockey he has played. The men's tournament gold came at Santaguilia Arena on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games, and the 2-1 overtime final will be remembered for a string of Hellebuyck saves that changed the course of the contest.
Note: This article draws only on the details presented in the provided coverage; some context elements were paraphrased to avoid certain attribution phrasing.
