U.S. Defeats Canada in Overtime to Win First Men’s Olympic Hockey Gold Since 1980

MILAN — This was not a miracle. It was mastery under pressure.

Forty-six years after the iconic “Miracle on Ice,” the United States men’s hockey team has reclaimed Olympic gold—this time by outlasting and outplaying its greatest rival. The Americans defeated Canada 2–1 in overtime Sunday at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, capturing their first men’s hockey gold medal since 1980.

Jack Hughes delivered the defining moment, blasting a rocket past Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington just 1:40 into 3-on-3 overtime. The goal ended one of the most anticipated gold-medal matchups in Olympic hockey history and finally snapped a decades-long drought for the U.S. program.

If Hughes supplied the finish, Connor Hellebuyck supplied the foundation.

The American goaltender turned in a performance for the ages, stopping 41 of 42 Canadian shots as wave after wave of pressure crashed down on the U.S. net. Canada dominated possession and shot totals for long stretches, but Hellebuyck remained immovable, denying breakaways, stuffing point-blank chances, and frustrating a roster stacked with the NHL’s most dangerous scorers.

Canada’s historical edge in Olympic play made the victory all the more significant. Since NHL players returned to the Games in 1998, the Canadians had beaten the United States in gold-medal games in 2002 and 2010 and eliminated them again in 2014. When the stakes were highest, Canada had owned the rivalry—until Sunday.

The game itself lived up to its billing from the opening puck drop.

The United States struck first midway through the opening period when Matt Boldy showcased dazzling skill, flipping the puck past elite Canadian defensemen Cale Makar and Devon Toews before beating Binnington on a backhand deke. It was a rare defensive lapse for Canada and one the Americans fully capitalized on.

Canada responded with relentless pressure, finally breaking through late in the second period when Makar fired a perfectly placed wrist shot past Hellebuyck to tie the game. From there, the contest became a test of endurance and nerve.

The third period bordered on survival hockey for the Americans. Hellebuyck robbed Devon Toews at the goal line, denied Macklin Celebrini on a breakaway, and turned aside a barrage of shots as Canada searched desperately for a winner. Despite outshooting the U.S. 41–26 through regulation, the Canadians could not solve him again.

That resistance bought the United States its chance.

In overtime, Zach Werenski forced a turnover and raced up ice before finding a wide-open Hughes in the slot. Hughes wasted no time, unloading a blistering slap shot that ended the game—and the gold-medal drought—in an instant.

Across Milan, the celebration was deafening. American and Canadian jerseys filled the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and spilled onto trains and streets throughout the city. Back home, fans gathered in bars before sunrise, replaying the highlights of 1980 the night before and waking early to witness history repeat itself—this time with a different cast and a different kind of belief.

There was no miracle required.

Just elite goaltending. Relentless defense. And one perfect shot when it mattered most.

The United States is once again Olympic champion in men’s hockey.