Ice hockey final: The last gold medal of the Winter Games goes to the USA

Without Trump

In any case, Donald Trump would have been happy. The US President did not make the announced trip to Milan and the closing ceremony in Verona. He would have witnessed one of the greatest US triumphs in ice hockey.

USA is Olympic champion for the first time since 1980. At that time, the success of an all-college team at the games in Lake Placid against, among others, the virtually invincible Soviets went down in sports history as the “Miracle on Ice.”

In 2026 it was less of a miracle, but at least still a surprise. Because the Canadians were considered the favorites for the last gold medal of these Winter Games. With Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, they have the numbers one and two in the current NHL scorer rankings. And they had winners in all parts of the team.

The match winners

But the men in the final on Sunday were two Americans. The best player was clearly US goalie Connor Hellebuyck. The star keeper of the Winnipeg Jets caused the Canadians to despair.

And then there was Jack Hughes. The New Jersey Devils striker scored the most important goal of his career to date. After the Canadians made it 1-1 in the second third through Cale Makar and failed to take advantage of the many chances in the final third, the decision had to be made in overtime in the three-on-three game. There the Canadians made a single mistake that was immediately punished. After a cross pass from Zach Werenski, Hughes scored to make it 2-1.

Commemoration of Gaudreau

Now gloves and bats flew through the air, and some people even shed a tear. The world champion is also an Olympic champion. The US cracks immediately took out a jersey from striker Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2024. And not only that: Gaudreau’s son Johnny Junior suddenly found himself on the ice in the middle of the cheering crowd.

The boy turned two years old on the day of the historic US final victory.