MILAN — This wasn’t a miracle. It was a moment of magic.
Forty-six years to the day after a bunch of unheralded amateurs stunned the heavily favored Soviet Union en route to winning Olympic gold, the U.S. men’s hockey team engineered another epic victory. The Americans won a battle of the sport’s superpowers on Sunday, toppling longtime nemesis Canada 2-1 in overtime to win their country’s first Olympic gold in men’s hockey since the famed 1980 “Miracle on Ice.”
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Jack Hughes scored the decisive goal, ripping a shot past Jordan Binnington less than three minutes into 3-versus-3 overtime.
The Americans forced overtime only because Connor Hellebuyck withstood target practice from Canada’s all-world forward corps. Hellebuyck made incredible save after incredible save against constant Canadian pressure, turning away 41 of the 42 shots he faced.
To win gold was a dream fulfilled for the American players. To do it at Canada’s expense made it all the more satisfying and cathartic.
In the biggest moments, Canada had previously owned this rivalry since NHL players began participating in the Olympics in 1998. Canada won gold-medal matches against the U.S. at the 2002 and 2010 Olympics and shut out the Americans in the 2014 semifinals. The U.S. did beat Canada in round-robin play at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, but when it mattered, the Americans lost again.
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A winner-take-all showdown between the U.S. and Canada has long been the most enticing potential matchup at these Olympics, but neither hockey superpower had the luxury of just strolling to the gold-medal match. The U.S. needed an overtime game winner from Quinn Hughes to survive Sweden in the quarterfinals. Canada rallied to overcome third-period deficits against Czechia in the quarters and Finland in the semis.
That set up the gold-medal matchup that the hockey world has waited a dozen years to see on an Olympic stage. Bars opened before sunrise in New York, Minneapolis, Milwaukee and other hockey hotbeds. Fans across the U.S. watched “Miracle” on Saturday night to hype themselves up, set their alarm clocks for an early wakeup and then gathered over early-morning beers and bloody marys.
The scene was even more festive across the Atlantic. The Milan metro was awash with Canada and U.S. jerseys of every era, Eruzione, Gretzky, McDavid and Tkachuk. Chants of “U-S-A” and “Let’s go Canada” rang out as the train hurtled toward Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. One particularly brazen fan in a USA cap playfully tried to start a chant of “51st state.” Outnumbered by Canadians, he was quickly shouted down.
The combination of speed, skill and physicality on display lived up to pregame expectations once the puck dropped. There were ooohs and ahhhs every few seconds from fans on both sides as the Americans and Canadians generated scoring chances.
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It was American fans who had reason to cheer first. Six minutes into the first period, Matt Boldy scored a goal that was a product of both individual stickhandling brilliance and defensive negligence.
With Cale Makar and Devon Toews between him and the Canadian net, Boldy deftly flipped the puck over both their sticks and skated unencumbered right between two of the NHL’s top defensemen. Then he deked a stunned Binnington and beat the Canadian goaltender with a backhand.
The Americans withstood unrelenting Canadian pressure for most of the second period, even killing off the 5-on-3 power play that lasted 93 seconds. Hellebuyck made a series of massive saves at close range, even stuffing the Olympics’ leading points scorer Connor McDavid on a breakaway.
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Then, just when it seemed like a period of squandered opportunities for Canada, Makar beat Hellebuyck with a wicked wrist shot from the right faceoff circle. It was an absolutely perfect shot from Makar, just over Hellebuyck’s right pad but just under the blocker.
That set the stage for a pressure-packed third period with the Canadians pushing hard for a game winner and the Americans desperately trying to withstand it long enough to give themselves the chance for a moment of magic.
In the opening minutes of the third period, Hellebuyck robbed Toews at the last possible moment, reaching behind his back with his stick to keep the Canadian defenseman’s point-blank shot from crossing the goal line. Minutes later, Macklin Celebrini had a clear breakaway, but Hellebuyck denied him with a pad save.
Hellebuyck withstood the onslaught.
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Hughes delivered an overtime goal for the ages.
And now the U.S. gold-medal drought is over.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest updates from the Olympics men’s ice hockey final, featuring Team USA against Team Canada:
Live coverage is over45 updates
Sun, February 22, 2026 at 8:36 AM PST
Who needs all their teeth anyway?
Sun, February 22, 2026 at 8:31 AM PST
Team USA honored the late Johnny Gaudreau after their gold medal win. (Photo by Peter Kneffel/picture alliance via Getty Images)
(picture alliance via Getty Images)
Ian Casselberry
USA players celebrate winning the men’s gold medal ice hockey match over Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan. (Photo by Alexander NEMENOV / AFP via Getty Images)
(ALEXANDER NEMENOV via Getty Images)
Ian Casselberry
Jack Hughes wins the gold medal for Team USA, 1:40 into overtime. Hughes took a centering pass from Zach Werenski and slaps it past Jordan Binnington for the game-winner.
The U.S, wins gold for the first time since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team.
Ian Casselberry
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 41 Canada shots in Team USA’s win over Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game.
Ian Casselberry
Jack Hughes created the winning scoring opportunity with a poke check in the USA end and Zach Werenski skated hard up the ice to get the puck.
Retrieving it in toward the left corner, he finds a wide-open Hughes with a centering pass. Hughes then whistled it past Jordan Bennington for Team USA’s first men’s ice hockey gold in 46 years.
Ian Casselberry
Quinn Hughes had a one-timer opportunity from the left side for the USA win, but Canada goaltender Jordan Binnington made the glove save.
Ian Casselberry
Looking at the shots on goal, you’d be excused for wondering how this game is tied at 1-1 and going to overtime. Canada has 41 shots to USA’s 26 after three periods.
Jay Busbee
MILAN — EVerybody’s exhausted. It’s been three periods of unbelievably tense, disaster-at-any-second gold medal hockey, and the crowd at the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena feels just beaten down from the pressure.
And now it’s on to 3×3 for the gold medal, which will do no good for anyone’s blood pressure. Hang on tight, friends!
Ian Casselberry
Why not overtime for the men’s hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics? The U.S. and Canada will go to an extra period tied at 1-1 after three.
Under Olympic rules, the two teams will play 3-on-3 to decide the winner. The Milan Cortina Games will last just a bit longer!
Ian Casselberry
Canada had an opportunity to score on the power play with Macklin Celebrini getting the puck in front of the net. However, he fired wide of Connor Hellebuyck and the U.S. will kill Canada’s one-minute power play advantage.
Ian Casselberry
After taking a high stick, Jack Hughes gets called for high-sticking on Bo Horvat. So we’ll have 4-on-4 hockey for 49 seconds and 3:20 remaining in the third period.
Canada will have a 5-on-4 power play after Sam Bennett’s penalty expires.
Ian Casselberry
Sam Bennett is called for a four-minute double-minor penalty, committing a high-sticking foul on Jack Hughes behind the USA net. The U.S, will be on the power play for nearly the remainder of the third period.
With Hughes bleeding from his mouth (and some thinking he might have gotten teeth knocked out), referees had to make that call.
Ian Casselberry
Canada fans will complain that the U.S. should have been called for too many men on the ice during a line change. NBC’s replay showed Team USA had seven players on the ice while Jack Hughes handled the puck along the boards.
Ian Casselberry
That right side of the goal is cursed for Canada. Nathan MacKinnon missed an open net with Connor Hellebuyck out of position after Devon Toews couldn’t get a shot past the U.S. goaltender earlier in the period.
Ian Casselberry
Connor Hellebuyck stones another scoring chance for Canada, denying Macklin Celebrini on a breakaway.
Canada has an 8-1 shot advantage seven minutes into the third period.
Ian Casselberry
Canada’s Devon Toews had a fantastic chance at a goal in front of the U.S. net, with the right side wide open after Connor Hellebuyck stopped a shot by Mitch Marner.
However, Hellebuyck got just enough of his pad on Toews’ shot to save a goal. Had Toews kept the puck on the ice, rather than try to flip it in, Canada may have taken the lead.
Ian Casselberry
Canada battered U.S. goalie Connor Hellebuyck in that second period, giving them a 28-16 advantage in shots going into the third period.
Ian Casselberry
Brock Faber nearly gave Team USA the lead back before the second period ended, hitting the post with a shot.
As the period ended, Brad Marchand and Matt Boldy mixed it up in front of the USA bench. USA’s Charlie McAvoy and Vincent Trocheck tussled with Canada’s Drew Doughty and Sam Bennett as well.
Tied at 1-1, this third period should be memorable.
Jay Busbee
MILAN — Canada was far more aggressive than the United States this period, outshooting the Americans 19-8, and it finally paid off 18:16 into the period when Makar lasered a shot past Hellebuyck.
-Prior to that, the penalty kill was a massive momentum shift. Canada had a 5×3 advantage for 1:42 and squandered a golden – pardon the pun – opportunity.
-Hellebuyck’s shutdown of McDavid’s breakaway also took the air out of the substantial Canadian contingent here.
-The fans were virtually silent for the final 30 seconds of the power play, the tension and anxiety almost visible in the air.
-Unrelated to the game, but the way that the organist trots out standards like “Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog” gives this the feel, every so often, of a Wednesday-night half-price ticket game in November.
-Very much related: Now we got ourselves a ballgame.