What a moment in time! Connor Hellebuyck stands on his head, Jack Hughes is immortalized as an American hero, and the entire USA hockey family are Olympic gold medalists (on the women’s side too!).
It’s one of those games people are still going to be referencing and talking about 40 years later. Where you remember exactly where you were and how it felt. The historical context is not identical to that 1980 Miracle team at Lake Placid, but these 2026 Olympics in Milan give the new age generation a fresh batch of idols and distinct inspiration.
After all, this group of USA hockey players were all kids too at one point. Heartbroken by Sidney Crosby’s golden goal in the 2010 games in Vancouver, galvanized by TJ Oshie’s shootout heroics in 2014 at Sochi, and impatient with NHL players being deprived of best-on-best hockey at the international level for so long. A decade and change later, they’re the ones establishing the culture and providing the blueprint.
Clearly, Jack Hughes understands the significance of alumni, current players and what’s to come in the story of USA hockey. Credit to Kathryn Tappen as well for eliciting one of the most passionate post-game interviews the sport has ever seen out of Jack:
Believe it or not, hockey in the United States is only just beginning. Youth hockey in the United States has a north star in Jack Hughes, Connor Hellebuyck and the rest of this group. Anything is possible.
What more can be said of Connor Hellebuyck? He totally saved the bacon for the stars & stripes. There’s an alternate reality where Canada wins that game by a score of 3 or 4 to 1. He made 41 saves on 42 shots, none better than the desperation stick save he made on Devon Toews. He even picked up an assist on the game-winning goal, which is more of a testament to the 3 vs. 3 format – but hey, when you’re hot, you’re hot.
I genuinely can’t wait to re-watch that game from start to finish. Preferably in a movie theatre or better yet in IMAX. I keep thinking back to the opening goal of the game by Matt Boldy, such a work of art. Flipped the puck up into a pocket of open ice, split the two best Canadian defenders in Makar & Toews and stick checked Toews ever so slightly before tucking it past Binnington on the backhand.
An incredible individual effort that gifted the Americans the cushion to withstand the inevitable wave of offense from Canada and the courage to weather the storm.
In the 3rd period, after the Americans failed to convert on the 4-minute power-play and Jack Hughes took what was a pretty silly penalty in the offensive zone, my heart sank. In a game that was controlled mostly by Canada from the 2nd period on, surely the Americans passed up their golden opportunity to squeak by. Now, it was time for the Canadian power-play to capitalize and finally solve Hellebuyck. Or so I thought.
Credit to J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, Brock Nelson and ultimately, Bill Guerin. Plenty of these guys took a ton of heat as unworthy to be on this team and not able to hang at this tournament. Couldn’t be further from the truth. The penalty kill came up huge and there are zero holes to poke in their performance.
Trocheck heard the slander too. Now it’s his turn to take a victory lap on all of you credentialed media with lanyards around your necks, microphones outstretched and questions that accidentally on purpose belittle the player.
I don’t mean to disparage all of hockey media. There are plenty of good eggs. Mollie Walker of the NY Post linked above here is a perfect example.
Whoever asked that egregious question of Auston Matthews definitely needs to look in the mirror, though. “I don’t want to take away from this accomplishment, but…” What a truly outrageous way to begin a question considering the gravity of what just happened. Can he not enjoy being an Olympic gold medalist for a few hours (at the very, very least)? Do you think he deserves to be asked that question? Do you think he’s a robot? Are you alright man? Love how the Hughes brothers stepped right in with their own two cents. The contempt on both of their faces says it all.
If the game wasn’t emotional enough, the tribute to Johnny Gaudreau and his family probably did you in. The sheer class and presence of mind to honor Johnny Hockey is why this sport is the best and filled with the most thoughtful and compassionate people.
Cue up Dream On by Aerosmith. Cue up Free Bird. Let them play all the way through. Team USA slayed the dragon at these Olympics in the most iconic way. But more than that, they handed generations of hockey fans a memory they’ll carry for the rest of their lives. Cheers to that.
geryblogs 
Leave a comment