Jack Hughes' Overtime Goal Lifts U.S. to Olympic Hockey Gold in Milan
jack hughes scored the game-winning goal early in overtime as the United States defeated Canada 2-1 to claim the men's Olympic hockey gold in Milan on Feb. 22, 2026. The victory ended a 46-year drought for U. S. men’s hockey and halted Canada’s recent run of dominance in best-on-best international play.
Jack Hughes' Overtime Finish and Tournament Numbers
Wearing No. 86, Jack Hughes beat Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington with the sudden-death winner that completed a standout Olympic tournament. Hughes finished the Games with four goals, seven points and a plus-8 rating, and he delivered a postgame remark characterized by many as memorable. Circling the ice after the win, Hughes was photographed and seen playing through visible cracked teeth.
Connor Hellebuyck's 40 Saves Kept the U. S. Alive
American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was a backbone for the team across the tournament and especially in the gold-medal match, making 40 saves and denying several of Canada’s best chances late in regulation. Broadcasters and highlights showed a sprawling Hellebuyck stop that preserved the tie entering overtime and set the stage for Hughes' winner.
Matt Boldy, Cale Makar and the Game Flow
The scoring opened in the first period when Matt Boldy split two Canadian defenders to get a shot past Jordan Binnington for a 1-0 U. S. lead. Canada answered in the second when Cale Makar tied the game, and neither side produced a goal in the third period. Hughes finished the job early in the overtime session to make the final score 2-1.
Johnny Gaudreau Tribute on the Ice
Team USA used its victory lap to honor the late Johnny Gaudreau. Captain Auston Matthews, alternate Matthew Tkachuk and defenseman Zach Werenski—who had been teammates with Gaudreau on the Columbus Blue Jackets—held up Gaudreau’s sweater while taking a lap. The team also brought Gaudreau’s children onto the ice for the official team photo.
Reactions: Jon Cooper and President Donald Trump
Team Canada coach Jon Cooper declined to blame the 3-on-3 overtime format for the loss but said that taking four players off the ice made the hockey "not hockey anymore. " Back in the United States, President Donald Trump posted congratulations on his Truth Social account: "Congratulations to our great U. S. A. Ice Hockey team. THEY WON THE GOLD. WOW!" He added, "WHAT A GAME!!!" and "LOTS OF WINNING!!!" A photograph accompanying commentary of the president showed him dancing after speaking at a rally at Coosa Steel Corporation in Rome, Georgia on Feb. 19, 2026.
Rivalry Renewed and Broader Notes from the Tournament
The rivalry between the U. S. and Canada has been intense in recent seasons, a tension that observers say was reignited last year when the nations clashed during the 4 Nations Face-Off and the Americans failed to win that earlier tournament. This time, the U. S. delivered on the sport’s largest stage and ended what many framed as Canada’s dominance in best-on-best hockey. What makes this notable is the combination of an elite goaltending performance, a sudden-death finish, and a player like Hughes producing both the statistics and the decisive moment.
Other Hockey Conversation: New Jersey Devils and Commentary
Amid the celebration, some analysts continued broader league conversations, calling the New Jersey Devils one of the NHL’s biggest disappointments and arguing the team needs to get younger and more skilled. Those assessments were offered alongside praise for the American Olympic run and the performances that powered it.
The win completes a sequence of events that began with Boldy’s opening goal, Hellebuyck’s 40-save evening, a second-period equalizer from Makar, and Hughes’ gold-winning overtime shot — a chain of cause and effect that gave the United States its first men’s Olympic hockey gold in 46 years.
