Connor Hellebuyck dubbed 'Secretary of Defense'; connor hellebuyck's 41 saves lift Team USA
Connor Hellebuyck collected 41 saves and was dubbed the "Secretary of Defense" after a miraculous stick stop that kept the game tied and forced overtime in Team USA’s 2-1 overtime victory against Canada. The 32-year-old said, "It’s a dream come true, " and credited the group: "We grinded, we battled, and this was some of the best and most fun hockey that I’ve ever played. "
Connor Hellebuyck stick save
The standout moment came in the opening minutes of the second period when Canada defenseman Devon Toews crept into the slot with what appeared to be an open net. Hellebuyck, facing toward the corner, reached behind himself and hit the puck with the blade of his stick to deny the shot. Another account noted he somehow stopped a wide-open Devon Toews shot in front of his crease with only his stick, turning quickly with his right hand to stop the puck and keep the game tied in the second period.
41 saves kept the tie
Hellebuyck collected 41 saves overall, a performance that kept the score 1-1 through the end of the second period and the third, forcing overtime. He did allow a goal to Avalanche star defenseman Cale Makar in the second period, but made numerous saves after that game-tying score to give his team a chance at the win. One description said Toews "lifted the puck just a bit for Hellebuyck’s paddle to get right in the way for the save. "
Turning point on the bench
Defenseman Charlie McAvoy pointed to the Toews stop as the turning point in real time. "I was yelling down the bench, ‘That’s the one, ’" McAvoy said. "I was joking it’s the ‘TSN Turning Point. ’ That was the one I said, ‘Remember that!’ Then he made a couple of others. " Canada also squandered other grade-A chances; assistant captain Nathan MacKinnon missed a wide-open net in the third period, and forward Sam Bennett summarized the feeling from the Canadian side: "We had a lot of looks. We generated what we wanted, but sometimes the goalie steals it, and he did a great job. "
Overtime and winning goal
Jack Hughes ultimately scored the game-winner in overtime past Canada’s netminder Jordan Binnington, completing the 2-1 victory for the United States. The win secured the first Olympic hockey gold for the United States since 1980.
Reactions from veteran goalies
Former U. S. goalie Mike Richter said he watched Hellebuyck’s save repeatedly. "I watched it like 10 times on replay, and the key is he doesn’t give up on the puck, " Richter said, invoking other great Olympic goalies when describing the effort, including Patrick Roy, Dominik Hasek and Jim Craig. Richter added of the play: "I don’t think he could have done much better at getting the shot off. It seemed like he had an open net, but not when you have a stick there so quickly. " He also said, "[Hellebuyck] did exactly what he had to do — he was in perfect position all night long. He wasn’t in great position for that, but then it is how much do you want it, and he wanted it. " Richter was identified in one account as the goalie who backstopped the U. S. to best-on-best wins against Canada in 1996 and who won consecutive 5-2 games against Canada in 1996.
Postgame scene and comments
After the game Hellebuyck skated around the ice alone with an American flag on his back as the crowd roared. A social media account dubbed him the "Secretary of Defense, " and Pete Hegseth — identified as U. S. Secretary of War who had held his current title before the agency he heads became known as the Department of War last September — endorsed the designation, writing, "Now we have a Secretary of War…and a Secretary of Defense!" In a separate line attributed to Hegseth, he said the IRS news points to "what we're doing to rebuild our military. " Contributor and sportscaster Jim Gray discussed the team's overtime victory, and correspondent Madison Scarpino reported on the game.
The gold-medal match was described as taking place on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Santaguilia Arena and at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 22, 2026, in Milan, Italy, with photographic captions naming Jared C. Tilton and Alex Wong as image credits. One account noted the historical resonance: when the Americans previously won Olympic gold in 1980, Jim Craig was the hero; "on this very day 46 years ago, he made 36 saves in an improbable 4-3... " — unclear in the provided context.
The U. S. fed off Hellebuyck’s save and confidence throughout the game, and teammates and opponents alike recognized the impact of his performance on the path to Olympic gold.
