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 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 forever associated with this win.
“In this tournament, he showed he’s one of the best players in the world — clearly,” said Quinn Hughes, brother and teammate of the latest hero.
Way back when, the stars — the players who are most strongly associated with the last men’s hockey title at a Winter Games — 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.
The 24-year-old Hughes, along with his brother Quinn, was consistently one of the best U.S. players at the Olympics after being 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.
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.
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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
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