2026 Winter Olympics: Team USA men’s hockey schedule, scores as Americans win first gold medal in 46 years
Team USA beat Canada to earn its first gold outside of the United States
By
Austin Nivison
Feb 22, 2026
at
1:17 pm ET
•
1 min read
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Jack Hughes and Connor Hellebuyck have ended Team USA’s 46-year gold medal drought. Hughes scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Canada to lift the Americans to their first gold medal since 1980.
Team USA and Canada battled to a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation, and this gold medal matchup for the ages went to 3-on-3 overtime, where Hughes asserted himself as a national hero. After out-muscling Nathan MacKinnon for a loose puck, Zach Werenski found Hughes coming down the weak side. Presented with a chance to end the game, Hughes didn’t miss as he fired a shot past the glove of Jordan Binnington.
Connor Hellebuyck was undoubtedly the Americans’ best player on Sunday. Hellebuyck played the best game of his career, stopping 41 of 42 Canadian shots and making some miraculous stops when the United States needed them most. Hellebuyck lived up to his billing as the best goalie in the world.
Meanwhile, the Canadians missed one opportunity after another to win the game. Canada failed to score on an extended 5-on-3 power play in the second period, Devon Toews was stopped by the stick of Hellebuyck with a wide open net in front of him and Nathan MacKinnon missed on a glorious opportunity to give his team a 2-1 lead.
Team USA took advantage of those Canadian miscues and finished its Olympic run with the country’s first gold medal in 46 years.
