By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated
Team USA defeats Canada to win its first gold medal since 1980. It also marks the 46th anniversary of “Miracle on Ice” when Team USA won its last medal.
Jack Hughes delivered the biggest goal of his career in overtime with 1:41 left remaining. Hughes scored in a 3-on-3 play. Matt Boldy also scored in this game. Sidney Crosby did not play due to a lower-body injury sustained during the quarterfinals against Czechia. Crosby was out for the semifinal as well.
USA goaltender Connor Hellebuyck played a sensational game. He made 40 of 41 saves. The 32-year-old was locked in. What a way to answer Team Canada’s game-winning goal in 2010, when Crosby scored the game-winning goal to beat the USA during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
In addition, it was special to see the USA pay tribute to Johnny Gaudreau. He worked hard to try to play for the team, but unfortunately, he and his brother Matthew died on Aug. 29, 2024.
The brothers were strucked by an SUV while riding bicycles near their hometown in New Jersey on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding. The news of their death shook the hockey community to the core, and it’s one of the saddest days in hockey history.
The Gaudreau brothers grew up watching the Olympics. Team USA honored the Gaudreau brothers by putting a jersey with their names in their locker room at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
Hughes led the USA in goals, and Quinn Hughes led the team in assists with seven.
It’s Team USA’s third Olympic gold medal (1960, 1980, 2026). Team Canada played terrific throughout these Olympics. They fought hard. Canada’s men’s hockey team has won nine gold medals and five silver medals. USA has eight silvers. It took the USA three tries to beat Canada, but this time, it finally paid off.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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