USA Beats Canada In Overtime To Win First Men’s Hockey Gold Since 1980
Forty six years after the Miracle on Ice stunned the world, the United States men’s hockey team delivered a new chapter in Olympic history, defeating Canada 2 to 1 in overtime to capture its first gold medal since 1980.
Jack Hughes scored the game winner less than three minutes into 3 on 3 sudden death overtime, firing a shot past Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington and setting off celebrations on both sides of the Atlantic. The goal ended decades of frustration against Canada on the sport’s biggest stage.
JACK HUGHES DELIVERS AMERICA’S GOLDEN MOMENT IN OVERTIME. pic.twitter.com/4foFDOri53
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 22, 2026
The Americans forced overtime thanks largely to a heroic performance from goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who turned away 41 of 42 shots. Canada’s high powered offense peppered him throughout the game, but Hellebuyck repeatedly delivered clutch saves, including breakaway stops and point blank denials in the third period.
Team USA struck first in the opening period when Matt Boldy scored a highlight reel goal, slipping between two top Canadian defensemen and beating Binnington with a backhand finish. Canada answered in the second period when Cale Makar found the net with a precise wrist shot, setting up a tense final frame.
The third period saw relentless Canadian pressure, but Hellebuyck stood firm, making several highlight worthy saves to keep the game tied. His performance set the stage for Hughes’ overtime heroics and one of the most memorable wins in modern American hockey history.
THAT WAS ONE HELLE-BUYCK OF A STOP. ? pic.twitter.com/N3wCimdBGw
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 22, 2026
The rivalry added even more weight to the moment. Since NHL players began participating in the Olympics in 1998, Canada had largely dominated the gold medal matchups between the two nations. Sunday’s victory finally flipped that script.
The gold medal showdown drew massive interest back home, with fans packing bars before sunrise in hockey hotbeds across the United States. In Milan, chants from both American and Canadian supporters echoed throughout the arena and surrounding metro stations.
The win not only ended a 46 year drought but cemented this American squad as one of the most accomplished in program history. It was not a miracle. It was a statement, delivered against the sport’s fiercest rival on the biggest stage.