🇺🇸 United States 2-1 Canada 🇨🇦 (OT)
Olympic Gold Medal Game
Unipol Dome, Milan 🇮🇹
Sunday, 22 February 2026

Jack Hughes scored at 1:41 of overtime to give the United States Olympic Gold with a 2-1 win over Canada.

The Americans capitalized on a turnover in their end to create a three-on-one, and Hughes finished the play with a low shot under the left pad of Jordan Binnington.

Canada dominated much of the game but despite several incredible chances in the third couldn’t put the game away. Connor Hellebuyck was sensational in net for the U.S.. Shots favoured Canada, 42-28, including six shots each by Nathan MacKinnon and Macklin Celebrini.

It is the third Gold for the United States, following wins in 1960 and 1980, and their first best-on-best championship since the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

“Hellebuyck was insane,” enthused Quinn Hughes, Gold medal around his neck. “You saw the looks they had. Canada’s an insane team out there. The game’s never been faster. It’s never been more skilled. And they’ve got some special players, Hall of Famers, all over their team.”

“This just means so much to all of us and USA Hockey,” added Jack Eichel. “There’s just so much pride in wearing this jersey and being able to do something special and create our own story here. It’s been a long time since USA Hockey was on top of the hockey world. So we’re really proud of this moment, and I just can’t say enough about the group.”

“It’s tough, extremely disappointing,” said Canada’s Sam Bennett. “You dream about these moments and it didn’t go our way today. But the team pushed, we gave everything we had and unfortunately, it wasn’t enough tonight. We got a lot of looks, and we generated what we wanted but sometimes the goalies can steal it, and he did a great job.”

The game started in a frenzy of emotions, and nerves, but the Americans had a great first shift that had the Canadians on their heels right away. Soon enough, however, the Canadians found their legs and got some pressure on Hellebuyck.

The tone of the game changed when Matt Boldy got the puck in centre ice. Coming in on Devon Toews and Cale Makar, Boldy flipped the puck through the pair and chased after it. He outsmarted Hurley to get the puck on the other side, made a slick deke on Binnington, and gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead at 6:00.

Canada replied with looser hockey, creating more possession in the American end but not really testing Hellebuyck. Their greatest chance came off a horrible giveaway by Brady Tkachuk, offering Nick Suzuki a gift in the slot. He blasted a shot high, much to the chagrin of the Canadian fans populating Santagiulia.

The stakes are so high, the pressure so great, a lead can often be a curse. The Americans didn’t want to commit to offense in the second, and by sitting on the lead they gave Canada hope. Line after line came at Hellebuyck, and although there weren’t a crazy number of great chances, there were enough to keep the Americans on their heels. Of course what happens is the more you defend the lead, the more you forget how to score. Just ask Canada’s women, who played so well with the lead…until the U.S. tied it.

McDavid had a dream chance to tie the game when he was sent in alone on a long pass, but his deke didn’t fool Hellebuyck and the captain went to the bench without a goal. Soon after, the Americans took two penalties and Canada had a five-on-three for 1:33. Despite the possession and firepower of Canada’s five best, nothing came of this fantastic opportunity thanks to sensational penalty killing from the U.S.

Sure enough, though, after a faceoff win late in the period, Canada made what looked like a simple D-to-D pass inside the U.S. blue line, Devon Toews to Makar. But in a flash, Makar moved in and snapped a shot under the blocker of Hellebuyck at 18:16, tying the game and sending the Canadian fans into hysterical delight.

The U.S. nearly went ahead again in the final minute. Brock Faber’s long shot fooled Binnington and bounced off both posts, and after 40 thrilling and intense minutes it was 1-1.

Canada came out flying to start the third, determined to get the go-ahead goal. Mitch Marner set up Toews in the crease for a tap-in goal, but Hellebuyck got just a bit of the shot with his stick and the the puck went wide. Macklin Celebrini blocked a shot at his blue line and went in alone, but his shot was also stopped by the goalie, who was proving more and more important as the game went on.

It continued. MacKinnon got the puck to the back side, open net…and he shot wide. The Canadians poured on the pressure, but Hellebuyck was simply there for everything. And then, Sam Bennett took a double minor for high sticking with six minutes remaining, giving the U.S. a golden chance. But now Canada’s P.K. was not only perfect but it drew a parallel high-sticking minor.

Canada now had one minute of five-on-four for the win, and Celebrini had two more near misses. Despite overwhelming the U.S. in the third, the Canadians were going to overtime. Golden goal territory. And then Jack Hughes sealed the deal.

“I think it was a flawless performance,” coach Jon Cooper said of his Canadian players. “I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

“I hope that we grow the game,” said Quinn Hughes. “The kids back home can, kind of like we did with Miracle, watching that movie, be able to gain inspiration from us. I know there were a lot of troops also watching, and they allowed us to play this game. So and of course, with Johnny Gaudreau to see his kids come out there, it was very special.”

BOXSCORE
1st Period
06:00 – 🇺🇸 GOAL – Boldy (Matthews, Q. Hughes)
17:03 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Theodore, hooking

2nd Period
29:27 – 🇺🇸 PEN – Guentzel, holding
29:55 – 🇺🇸 PEN – McAvoy, hooking
38:16 – 🇨🇦 GOAL – Makar (Toews)

3rd Period
53:26 – 🇨🇦 PEN – Bennett, high sticking double minor
56:37 – 🇺🇸 PEN – J. Hughes, high sticking

Overtime
61:41 – 🇺🇸 GOAL – J. Hughes (Werenski, Hellebuyck)

GOALTENDERS
W: 🇺🇸 Hellebuyck (41-42)
L: 🇨🇦 Binnington (26-28)

SHOTS ON GOAL
🇺🇸 8+8+10+2 = 28
🇨🇦 8+19+14+1 = 42

ROSTERS
🇺🇸 Goaltenders: Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger. Defence: Brock Faber, Noah Hanifin, Quinn Hughes, Charlie McAvoy (A), Jake Sanderson, Jaccob Slavin, Zach Werenski. Forwards: Matt Boldy, Jack Eichel, Jake Guentzel, Jack Hughes, Clayton Keller, Dylan Larkin, Auston Matthews (C), J.T. Miller, Brock Nelson, Tage Thompson, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk (A), Vincent Trocheck.
🇨🇦 Goaltenders: Jordan Binnington, Logan Thompson. Defence: Drew Doughty, Thomas Harley, Cale Makar (A), Colton Parayko, Travis Sanheim, Shea Theodore, Devon Toews. Forwards: Sam Bennett, Macklin Celebrini, Brandon Hagel, Bo Horvat, Seth Jarvis, Nathan MacKinnon (A), Brad Marchand, Mitch Marner, Connor McDavid (C), Sam Reinhart, Mark Stone, Nick Suzuki, Tom Wilson.

Article Credit: Milan 2026
Photo Credit: Milan 2026 – IIHF – HHOF – IOC