From Lake Placid to Milan: USA Ice Hockey Wins Gold in OT on Historic Date
2/22/2026 12:16:00 PM | Olympics
MILAN, Italy -- Forty-six years to the date. On Feb. 22, the anniversary of the Miracle on Ice at the 1980 Winter Olympics, Team USA authored another chapter of Olympic lore, this time inside Milano Santagiulia Arena at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
And fittingly, it ended in overtime.
Four former Wolverines were on the United States' Olympic team: Kyle Connor (Winnipeg Jets), Quinn Hughes (Minnesota Wild), Dylan Larkin (Detroit Red Wings) and Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets).
It was Quinn's brother, Jack Hughes, who buried the game-winning goal on Sunday (Feb. 22) off a feed from Werenski less than three minutes into 3-versus-3 overtime, lifting the United States to a thrilling 2-1 victory over Canada and sparking an American celebration.
Team USA set the tone early, striking on its first shot of the game. Matt Boldy split the defense and collected his own saucer pass before finishing at the 6:00 mark of the opening period to give the Americans an early lead. The goal was assisted by Quinn Hughes.
Quinn Hughes continued his record-setting tournament, tying Ryan Suter for the second-most career assists by an American defenseman in an Olympic Games featuring NHL participation. His seventh assist of Milano Cortina 2026 established a new single-tournament record for assists by an American in an NHL-participating Olympics. Quinn Hughes also became the first American to record a six-game point streak in a single Olympic Games featuring NHL players.
Midway through the second period, Connor McDavid broke free on a breakaway, but Connor Hellebuyck came up with a clutch stop -- one of his 41 saves in a brilliant performance as Canada outshot the United States, 42-28. Momentum shifted late in the frame when Cale Makar fired a shot from the left circle off an offensive-zone faceoff win, giving Canada the tie with 1:44 remaining in the period.
The third period delivered high drama.
Sam Bennett was assessed a double minor for high-sticking Jack Hughes at 6:34, drawing blood and giving Team USA four minutes of power-play time. Moments later, Jack Hughes was whistled for a penalty at 3:23, creating 49 seconds of 4-on-4 before Canada had just over a minute with the man advantage.
Neither side could find the breakthrough in regulation. Then came the finish.
Werenski connected with Jack Hughes in stride, and the American star made no mistake, lifting the puck home for the overtime winner.
Larkin extended his point streak to three games (2-1-3) and scored in back-to-back contests, contributing to a balanced U.S. effort fueled by production throughout the lineup. Werenski, coming off a three-assist performance in the semifinal, delivered once again when it mattered most.
The victory marked the first time Michigan players have captured Olympic gold, adding to a legacy that previously included 21 Wolverines earning eight Olympic medals. The last Wolverine to reach the podium was Carl Hagelin, who won silver with Sweden in 2014.
Today's matchup marked the sixth time the United States and Canada met in the Olympic Games. The U.S. Men's Hockey team has now won three Olympic gold medals (1960, 1980, 2026).
