MILAN (AP) — Go ahead and put the names Jack Hughes and Connor Hellebuyck right in the same revered place that Mike Eruzione and Jim Craig have occupied since their “ Miracle On Ice ” triumph in 1980.
It had been 46 years since the United States won the men’s hockey gold medal at an Olympics. This time, the country can thank Hughes, he of the lost teeth and the winning goal less than 2 minutes into overtime Sunday, for a 2-1 victory over Canada at the Milan Cortina Games, and Hellebuyck, he of the 41 saves, many of them spectacular.
They will be remembered — and always associated with this win.
“As a kid, when you’re growing up and you’re watching the Olympics, you kind of remember moments. I’m sure this is going to be a moment that younger kids are talking about: ‘You see Jack scoring the OT winner?’” American forward Brock Nelson said. “I’m sure that’s a moment that kids are probably going to try to recreate and try to envision themselves in that spot later on in life.”
That’s precisely the reason that when U.S. defenseman Charlie McAvoy was trying to find the right words to praise Hellebuyck, this is what he went with: “He channeled his Jimmy Craig tonight.”
Nelson’s uncle was a member of that 1980 championship team at the Lake Placid Games, and was present Sunday. Nelson’s grandfather was only the only other U.S. men’s hockey team to claim gold, at Squaw Valley in 1960. That means this 2026 victory is the first for the country in this sport outside the United States.
Way back when, the stars — the players most strongly associated with most recent men’s hockey title at a Winter Games until Sunday — were Eruzione, he of the winning goal against the heavily favored Soviet Union along the way to the gold, and Craig, the star goalie who famously looked into the crowd for his father after that game.
Eruzione, who was at the arena Sunday, and Craig were part of a collection of amateurs who stunned the world.
The big difference this time, of course, is that Hughes and Hellebuyck are professional players, certified stars of the NHL, which brought its players back to the Olympics for the first time since 2014. So there is less to be shocked by with Sunday’s outcome.
What those four have in common are the gold medals they’ll own forever.
Hughes, a center for the New Jersey Devils, deposited his winner past Jordan Binnington off the rush, with an assist from Zach Werenski, during the 3-on-3 OT.
“In this tournament, he showed he’s one of the best players in the world — clearly,” said Quinn Hughes, the older brother and teammate of the newest American star.
The siblings — Jack is 24; Quinn is 26 — were consistently among the best U.S. players at these Olympics.
This comes after Jack was criticized for his performance a year ago at the 4 Nations Face-Off, which Canada won. And his goal Sunday is the best thing to happen to him on the ice after a rough stretch over the past 11 months. He had shoulder surgery that ended his 2024-25 NHL season, then missed five weeks earlier this season after slicing his right thumb open at a team dinner.
“Last couple years,” Jack said, “a lot of things have happened to me.”
Not surprisingly, his brother offered a strong endorsement, including praising Jack for handling it well when he was placed on U.S. coach Mike Sullivan’s fourth line.
“He takes a lot of (gruff). No one loves the game more than him,” Quinn said. “He’s got so much passion. He’s a gamer. He made it happen.”
Canada dominated the action Sunday, outshooting the U.S. 42-28. But Matt Boldy put the Americans ahead after just 6 minutes, and Hellebuyck managed to make that be enough to get to the extra period, despite giving up a tying goal to Cole Makar.
Over and over, Hellebuyck was in the right place at the right time, his reflexes good enough to make just about every stop he needed to. And when he wasn’t, he had a bit of help from the Canadians, including when Nathan MacKinnon was alone near the goal but put his shot off the side netting.
Or when Connor McDavid had a 1-on-1 breakaway earlier, but appeared to wait too long and didn’t get a good attempt off.
Hellebuyck, who plays for the Winnipeg Jets, is certainly no slouch: He’s won MVP honors in the NHL.
But he has heard the negativity about not coming up big enough in the playoffs. And Hellebuyck was struggling this season. He had arthroscopic knee surgery in November, a week after Hughes’ operation, and returned three weeks later.
“Those critics — they can keep writing, but they don’t understand goaltending. They definitely don’t understand my game. … These are the moments that prove it,” he said. “I came into this game, probably one of the biggest of my career, and I really wasn’t that nervous. The second I woke up this morning, I felt I was doing everything right. … It kind of translated.”
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