Jack Hughes scored the golden goal at 1:41 of the 3-on-3 overtime to beat Canada, 2-1, and win Team USA's first gold medal since 1980, on the 46th anniversary of the "Miracle on Ice." Zach Werenski earned the assist, bodying Nathan MacKinnon off the puck in the Canadian end and feeding Hughes cross-ice:
Canada, playing without captain Sidney Crosby, carried play for most of the game, swarming in the U.S. end, but goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was exceptional, making 41 saves, many on high-danger chances, yielding only one goal an a perfect shot by Cale Makar in the second period.
Matt Boldy had the U.S. on the board first, with a tremendous individual effort six minutes into the first period, but Canada picked up momentum after a 5-on-3 power play, failing to score but finding their legs and pressuring the U.S. from that point forward.
My take: There will be many who think Canada deserved better, that they were the better team in this one. They would be wrong. The U.S. was the better team because they had the best player — Hellebuyck. What a performance. Mike Sullivan now has coached two Stanley Cup wins and an Olympic gold medal. He now keeps company with Jack Riley and Herb Brooks in U.S Olympic coaching pantheon, but only Sullivan has Stanley Cups to his name as well. That's an express ticket to the Hall of Fame. Hellebuyck will be joining him there some day.
THE ASYLUM
USA! Hughes stuns Canada in OT
Jack Hughes scored the golden goal at 1:41 of the 3-on-3 overtime to beat Canada, 2-1, and win Team USA's first gold medal since 1980, on the 46th anniversary of the "Miracle on Ice." Zach Werenski earned the assist, bodying Nathan MacKinnon off the puck in the Canadian end and feeding Hughes cross-ice:
Canada, playing without captain Sidney Crosby, carried play for most of the game, swarming in the U.S. end, but goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was exceptional, making 41 saves, many on high-danger chances, yielding only one goal an a perfect shot by Cale Makar in the second period.
Matt Boldy had the U.S. on the board first, with a tremendous individual effort six minutes into the first period, but Canada picked up momentum after a 5-on-3 power play, failing to score but finding their legs and pressuring the U.S. from that point forward.
My take: There will be many who think Canada deserved better, that they were the better team in this one. They would be wrong. The U.S. was the better team because they had the best player — Hellebuyck. What a performance. Mike Sullivan now has coached two Stanley Cup wins and an Olympic gold medal. He now keeps company with Jack Riley and Herb Brooks in U.S Olympic coaching pantheon, but only Sullivan has Stanley Cups to his name as well. That's an express ticket to the Hall of Fame. Hellebuyck will be joining him there some day.
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