Jack Hughes Scores OT Goal, USA Wins Olympic Gold vs Canada

Jack Hughes slid the puck through the five-hole just 1:41 into overtime, giving Team USA its first Olympic hockey gold medal since the legendary 1980 Miracle on Ice team.

The New Jersey Devils forward took a pass from Zach Werenski during 3-on-3 play and beat Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington to seal the 2-1 victory at Santaguilia Arena in Milan. The win came exactly 46 years after that improbable victory over the Soviet Union.

"I can't even believe this," Hughes said through a smile, despite missing a few teeth from a high stick earlier in the game. "We wanted to go through Canada and beat them."

The game belonged to more than just Hughes. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stopped 41 shots, including several highlight-reel saves that kept Team USA alive when Canada dominated the second period with a 19-8 shot advantage.

His biggest save came early in the third period when Devon Toews had an open net. Hellebuyck stretched his stick behind him in desperation, and the puck hit it and skittered away.

"It's not the first stick save of my career, but it is the biggest," Hellebuyck said. Matthew Tkachuk called it "an all-time performance from a superstar" that will go down with Jim Craig's iconic 1980 showing.

Matt Boldy opened the scoring at 6:00 of the first period with a slick backhand deke. Cale Makar tied it late in the second with a snap shot that picked the far corner.

Canada played without captain Sidney Crosby, who sat out with a lower-body injury sustained in the quarterfinals. Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon both had prime chances but couldn't solve Hellebuyck.

Why This Inspires

This victory represents more than just a gold medal. It's a full-circle moment for American hockey, proving that the 1980 team wasn't a one-time miracle but the beginning of a lasting legacy.

Charlie McAvoy, wrapped in an American flag afterward, described the feeling as "complete blackout" euphoria. The players threw equipment into the sky as "Free Bird" played and "USA" chants filled the arena.

Even Canadian coach Jon Cooper found perspective in defeat. "In the grand scheme of things, the big winner was ice hockey," he said.

Hughes and his teammates now stand shoulder to shoulder with that 1980 squad, giving a new generation of Americans their own golden moment to cherish forever.