Team USA takes gold medal in hockey with OT thriller against Canada

Team USA’s gold medal drought is over, thanks to 24-year-old Jack Hughes, who beat Jordan Binnington in overtime to lift his squad to a 2-1 win. The Americans have their first gold medal in men’s ice hockey since 1980, and they beat arch rival Canada to get it.

After Team USA and Canada played to a 1-1 tie at the end of the regulation, the bitter rivals went to overtime, and that’s where Hughes became a national hero. After making a nice defensive play to slow down Connor McDavid as he was screaming toward the American net, Hughes threw it in high gear and skated toward the offensive zone.

Meanwhile, Zach Werenski and Dylan Larkin teamed up to work the puck into the Canadian zone with the numbers advantage. Werenski won a puck battle with Nathan MacKinnon, and found Hughes coming down the weak side. Moments after brother Quinn just missed an opportunity to win the game, Jack didn’t miss as he fired a shot past the glove of Binnington.

While Hughes has earned his place in American hockey lore, Connor Hellebuyck was an even bigger star for the Americans. 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.

For the Canadians, it was a game of missed opportunities. 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.

It wasn’t the prettiest game the Americans played in this tournament, but they’re gold medalists after getting it done against one of the most talented teams ever to take the ice.