Milan: The United States won the men’s Olympic ice hockey gold medal for the first time in 46 years after defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
The ice hockey final delivered the last gold medal of the Games and marked the first American men’s Olympic title since the famous 1980 triumph at Lake Placid. It also became the first time the USA secured the men’s title outside home territory.
The winning goal came early in overtime when Jack Hughes finished decisively after sustained pressure from both teams. The United States relied heavily on goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck, who produced a series of key saves as Canada dominated possession and shots for much of the contest. Canada registered 41 shots in regulation compared with 26 from the USA but struggled to convert chances.
The United States opened the scoring through Matt Boldy, who carried the puck from his own half and finished after evading defenders. Canada equalised late in the second period when Cale Makar scored following a quick switch of play. The match remained tense through the third period, with Canada pushing forward and the USA defending resolutely.
For the first time in Olympic history, the gold medal match moved into three-on-three overtime, with play continuing until a goal was scored. Hughes converted after 101 seconds, sealing a historic victory and ending a 46-year wait for the American men’s programme.
The result completed a notable double for the United States, after the women’s team also defeated Canada in overtime earlier in the tournament. The presence of NHL players at the Olympics for the first time since 2014 added intensity to the final, which drew strong crowd support for Canada at the Santagiulia venue.
Canada entered the match without captain Sidney Crosby, who missed the final due to a knee injury sustained earlier in the competition. Despite controlling large stretches of play, Canada finished the Games in 11th place in the medal standings, while the USA secured its 12th gold medal and finished second overall.
After the match, United States players carried the jersey of former teammate Johnny Gaudreau, who died in August 2024, during celebrations on the ice, marking an emotional conclusion to a landmark ice hockey final.
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