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The United States men’s hockey team defeated Canada, 2-1.Petr David Josek\/Associated Press<\/p>\nMILAN \u2014 By the slimmest of margins, the United States is the undisputed champion of international hockey.<\/p>\n
Backed by an all-time goaltending performance from Connor Hellebuyck and a golden goal from Jack Hughes, the Americans beat Canada, 2-1, in overtime on Sunday.<\/p>\n
It is their first gold medal in 46 years. A generation raised on tales of Lake Placid threw their sticks and gloves into the air like it was 1980 all over again.<\/p>\n
In the middle of it all was Hellebuyck, the UMass-Lowell product and two-time reigning Vezina winner who entered Milan with a deserved reputation for playoff struggles.<\/p>\n
No longer.<\/p>\n
He stopped Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini on breakaways. He made a paddle save on Devon Toews, looking like Tim Thomas during the Bruins\u2019 2011 Stanley Cup championship run.<\/p>\n
Hellebuyck was the primary force that killed 93 seconds of a 5-on-3 against the most talented power-play unit of the last few decades \u2013 and maybe ever.<\/p>\n
About the only thing he didn\u2019t stop was a laser of a snapshot from Cale Makar, in the second period, and a puck that Nathan MacKinnon shot into the side of the net when the cage was wide open.<\/p>\n
Jack Eichel kissed him on the head amid the joyous celebration. Matthew Tkachuk grabbed an American flag and spread it out like eagle\u2019s wings. Soon Auston Matthews and Zach Werenski had them too, and they grabbed the would-be Olympic jersey of Johnny Gaudreau, their late brother, and held it aloft.<\/p>\n
The Canadians lined up on their bench, some heads bowed, some eyes staring into the distance.<\/p>\n
The United States men’s hockey team defeated Canada, 2-1.Petr David Josek\/Associated Press<\/p>\n
Millis native Matt Boldy scored the first goal for the Americans.<\/p>\n
The Americans were outshot, 41-26, in regulation, in a game that lived up to the billing. The grand finale of the NHL\u2019s return to the Olympics after 12 years was tight-checking, fast-paced, high-drama hockey between the two best teams in the world.<\/p>\n
For the Americans, it is their third gold medal (1960, 1980) and an unprecedented double, the men beating Canada in OT three days after the women did the same<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sunday at Santagiulia Arena was no Milano Miracle. This was a team of NHL elites, most of whom played as teenagers in the National Team Development Program, moving away from Norwood and North Chelmsford and all other hockey outposts to train in southeast Michigan. Most of them play starring roles on their NHL clubs, but general manager Bill Guerin chose players for reasons beyond their stats.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have certain responsibilities that go up and down the lineup,\u201d Guerin said after announcing the team<\/a>. \u201cWe need players that are elite in those categories.\u201d<\/p>\n While he left five of the top 10 American-born scorers at home for the international break, he brought elite penalty killers. And he brought Jack Hughes, who struggled at last year\u2019s 4 Nations tournament and entered these Games as a fourth-liner. <\/p>\n He scored at 1:41 of OT with a bloody mouth and missing front teeth, after taking a third-period high stick. He has almost surely earned his place on the 2030 roster. The US will likely have a veteran roster in the French Alps for the next Winter Olympics, but one still possibly in its collective late prime. <\/p>\n Among the Americans\u2019 top defensemen, Quinn Hughes will be 30. Zach Werenski and Charlie McAvoy will be 32. Among forwards, Matthew Tkachuk and Auston Matthews will be 32. Jack Eichel and Dylan Larkin will be 33. Jack Hughes will be 28, as will the other goal-scorer on Sunday, Boldy.<\/p>\n Canada, which won gold in 2002, 2010 and 2014, will be reloaded and ready for the 2030 Games. They will almost surely go for another crown jewel in the French Alps without captain Sidney Crosby, who will be 42.<\/p>\n The future Hall of Famer and golden goal scorer at the 2010 Vancouver Games was unable to dress for the final. He possibly saw his legendary Olympic career come to an end against Czechia in the quarterfinals, when he took a pair of hits and exited the game.<\/p>\n The 2030 Canadian roster could, however, include a 33-year-old Connor McDavid, likely in his late prime, a 31-year-old Cale Makar and 34-year-old Nathan MacKinnon. Macklin Celebrini will be 23. <\/p>\n Two young elite talents who were left off this team, Connor Bedard and Matthew Schaefer, will be 24 and 22, respectively.<\/p>\n This is not to say a rematch is guaranteed. Canada and the US were the favorites going into Milan, earned the top two seeds in the playoff rounds, and controlled the greatest share of the Italian ice, but the world is catching up.<\/p>\n The Canadians came from behind twice to win elimination games, something they never before had to do. The Finns and Czechs pushed them to the limit. The Americans were an overtime bounce away from losing to the Swedes.<\/p>\n On the eve of the game, McDavid was praising those teams, plus the Swiss and the Slovaks.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s easy for people to sit back and say, you know, this game is always going to happen,\u201d McDavid said on the eve of US-Canada. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t always the case. The games have been so, so close. They were one shot away from being out, we were one shot away from being out. It\u2019s so, so tight.\u201d<\/p>\n Below are updates posted as the game progressed and in the aftermath.<\/p>\n Click here to refresh this page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Get Starting Point<\/p>\n A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.<\/p>\n Postgame scenes and comments from Team USA \u2014 12:50 p.m.<\/p>\n US coach Mike Sullivan arrives for his press conference drenched. He smiles and shivers before he sits down.<\/p>\n Sullivan said President Donald Trump FaceTimed the players in the locker room. His message: \u201cHe expressed how proud he was of the group and congratulated them on the win.\u201c<\/p>\n \u201dThis game in a lot of ways was an inspiration to our country,\u201d Sullivan added, saying how many text messages he has received in the last day about 8 a.m. watch parties.<\/p>\n US players Auston Matthews, Jack Hughes, and Quinn Hughes arrived wearing sky-blue ski goggles. Matthews was toting a tall boy, the Hughes brothers carrying Coronas.<\/p>\n Sullivan might have been inspired by that when he talked about the team having a bunch of \u201cpersonalities\u201d:<\/p>\n \u201cThere are whiskey drinkers and milk drinkers, and we have a lot of whiskey drinkers on this team,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Quinn Hughes, who roomed with his brother, Jack, in the Olympic Village, said the Tkachuks were across the hall.<\/p>\n \u201cWe left the door open for two weeks and never closed it,\u201d Quinn Hughes said.<\/p>\n Hughes and Auston Matthews called for another round. This time a staffer brought Coronas for all. Sullivan toasts them: \u201cCheers.\u201d<\/p>\n A reporter apologized for one question to Auston Matthews: he\u2019ll have to return to the NHL grind in a couple of days.<\/p>\n Matthews: \u201cC\u2019mon man … I\u2019m trying to live in the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack Hughes cuts in: \u201cI think it doesn\u2019t matter what anyone says now. Auston Matthews is a winner.\u201d<\/p>\n Quinn Hughes follows: \u201cThat\u2019s what the media in Toronto should be talking about. Auston Matthews led us to a championship.\u201d<\/p>\n Matthews: \u201cI\u2019ve got nothing else to say.\u201d<\/p>\n Brad Marchand discusses Canada\u2019s loss \u2014 12:40 p.m.<\/p>\n Former Bruins captain Brad Marchand discussed Canada\u2019s loss in the men\u2019s hockey gold-medal game.<\/p>\n On Canada\u2019s missed chances: \u201dThat\u2019s how these one-off games go. We had a lot of opportunities and bounces that didn\u2019t go our way. That\u2019s nature of these tournaments.\u201c<\/p>\n On Team Canada: \u201dUnbelievable guys. Obviously, on the ice, but in the room, just such a great group to be around. The best hockey team to ever be put together there … it was unbelievable in the way they played tonight. It easily could have a different outcome.\u201c<\/p>\n On Canada captain Sidney Crosby, who missed the game because of an injury: \u201dYou feel bad letting a guy like that down. Just one of the best ever to play, one best leaders to ever play the game. Wish we could have got it done for him.\u201c<\/p>\n On the loss: \u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel good.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 Katie McInerney<\/p>\n The cost of victory for Jack Hughes: Broken teeth \u2014 12:32 p.m.<\/p>\n Jack Hughes lost some teeth before he won Olympic gold for the United States.<\/p>\n The forward who put the puck in the net in overtime to give the Americans a 2-1 victory over Canada in the men\u2019s hockey final Sunday did so with a bloody mouth and less of a bite than he began the game with. That\u2019s because Hughes was spittin\u2019 chiclets after taking a stick to the mouth from Sam Bennett in the third period.<\/p>\n \u201cMore people are going to be looking at his medal,\u201d said Matt Boldy, who scored the other US goal, \u201cthan his teeth.\u201d<\/p>\n The 24-year-old Hughes is a forward for the New Jersey Devils in the NHL. He scored past Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington after a little more than 1 1\/2 minutes of extra time.<\/p>\n Hughes\u2019 brother, Quinn, is a defenseman for the Americans, who won the country\u2019s first gold in men\u2019s hockey since the 1980 \u201cMiracle on Ice\u201d team that upset the heavily favored Soviet Union at Lake Placid.<\/p>\n \u2013 Associated Press<\/p>\n \u2018We\u2019re a part of that history.\u2019 Charlie McAvoy savors US victory \u2014 12:15 p.m.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy had to say after the game.<\/p>\n On the celebration: \u201cI kept saying, I can\u2019t wait to see the footage of what happened after we scored, because it was a complete blackout. Who I was hugging, where I was going. I don\u2019t know what happened. I got cut (on the face) \u2013 like, it was just euphoria, man. I can\u2019t even explain what I was feeling, just pure joy.”<\/p>\n On being the first Team USA since 1980 to win gold: \u201cSully [coach Mike Sullivan] talked it about right away, as soon as we got here, that there was the \u201960 team, the \u201980 team, so 34 guys total in all of USA Hockey history to win a gold medal. That\u2019s what we were playing for. And [expletive], man, two weeks later, we did it. We did it. We\u2019re a part of that history. No one could ever take it away from us. This group\u2019s gonna walk together forever. I\u2019ve never been so proud in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n McAvoy on goalie Connor Hellebuyck: \u201cHe channeled his Jimmy Craig tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n Gold medals being presented \u2014 11:23 a.m.<\/p>\n The US men are now receiving their medals. Jeremy Swayman, No. 1, gets his first. He picks it up off his chest to admire it.<\/p>\n Team USA is taking photos with Johnny Gaudreau\u2019s children.<\/p>\n \u2013 Katie McInerney<\/p>\n US players honor Johnny Gaudreau \u2014 11:20 a.m.<\/p>\n They\u2019re preparing now for the medal ceremony. Hanging on the board on the Americans\u2019 bench is a No. 13 jersey, in honor of the late Johnny Gaudreau. United States GM Bill Guerin had told Gaudreau\u2019s parents that Johnny would have been on this team.<\/p>\n Gaudreau\u2019s wife, Meredith, shared on social media that today is her son Johnny\u2019s birthday. She and Johnny\u2019s parents Guy and Jane were in Italy for the semifinal game. <\/p>\n \u2013 Katie McInerney<\/p>\n \u2018I love the USA.\u2019 Here\u2019s what Jack Hughes had to say \u2014 11:14 a.m.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what Jack Hughes had to say in a postgame interview on NBC:<\/p>\n On winning the gold medal: \u201cThis is all about our country right now. I love the USA, I love my teammates, it\u2019s unbelievable. The USA hockey brotherhood is so strong, and we had so much support from ex-players, and I\u2019m so proud to be American today.\u201d<\/p>\n On how difficult the game was: \u201cUnbelievable game by [goalie Connor] Hellebuyck. He was our best player today by a mile, unbelievable game. Unreal game by our team, that\u2019s just a [expletive], gutsy win. That\u2019s American hockey right there. That\u2019s a great Canadian team, but we\u2019re USA, we\u2019re so proud to be Americans, tonight was all for the country.\u201d<\/p>\n On what this means for US hockey: \u201cIt\u2019s everything. Like I said, the USA hockey brotherhood means so much. Look at these guys \u2014 we\u2019re such a team. We\u2019ve been together for two weeks, we\u2019re such a team. The USA hockey brotherhood is so strong, and we\u2019re so proud to win for our country.\u201d<\/p>\n On his emotions: \u201cI can\u2019t even believe this. It\u2019s such an unbelievable game, USA-Canada, that\u2019s such a good game, they have so many great players, we\u2019re a great team … that\u2019s exactly how we wanted it to go. We wanted to go through Canada and we wanted to beat them. It could\u2019ve gone either way tonight, but that\u2019s an unbelievable win for the Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 Amin Touri<\/p>\n Jack Hughes wins it \u2014 10:59 a.m.<\/p>\n Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal 1:41 into overtime to lift the United States to a 2-1 victory over Canada in the Olympic men\u2019s hockey gold-medal game on Sunday in Milan.<\/p>\n Cue \u201cFree Bird.\u201d<\/p>\n It is the first Olympic gold medal for the US men since 1980.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the second gold medal for the US hockey teams here in Italy as the women took the victory on Thursday over Canada, also in overtime.<\/p>\n The arena is absolutely rocking. The Americans are screaming as Canadians stand in disbelief.<\/p>\n They\u2019re rolling out the teal carpet for the medal ceremony \u2014 Finland got its bronze medals yesterday \u2014 as the Canadians watch, dejected. The Americans, a number of them draped in American flags, are still celebrating on the ice.<\/p>\n \u2013 Katie McInerney<\/p>\n Overtime is underway \u2014 10:50 a.m.<\/p>\n The teams have returned to the ice for overtime. The next goal wins this one.<\/p>\n Canada has a 41-26 lead in shots, while the US has had more time on the power play, 5:11 to 3:39.<\/p>\n We\u2019re on to overtime \u2014 10:32 a.m.<\/p>\n After three periods, it\u2019s tied 1-1 and we\u2019re headed for overtime.<\/p>\n The way this game is going, they\u2019re going to be writing stories about Macklin Celebrini looking for Olympic redemption to preview the 2030 Games. Five incredible scoring chances for the 19-year-old, no goals.<\/p>\n This will be a 2-1 final. Shots 41-26, Canada, after 60 minutes.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n We\u2019ve got 17 minutes until puck drop on overtime. The format for this game is the same as it was for the women\u2019s US-Canada gold-medal game: 3 on 3, 20 minutes, sudden death. If it\u2019s still tied, we move onto a shootout.<\/p>\n \u2013 Katie McInerney<\/p>\n US on the power play, then gets penalized \u2014 10:26 a.m.<\/p>\n With less than 6 minutes to go in the third, Sam Bennett is called for high-sticking Jack Hughes. It\u2019s a double minor. Buckle up.<\/p>\n That was about as bad as it gets. When he got up, Hughes picked his mouthguard off the ice.<\/p>\n Brutal sequence for the US, which couldn\u2019t do anything on the power play. Jack Hughes high-sticks Bo Horvat, and now it\u2019s 4-on-4.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n How did MacKinnon miss? \u2014 10:17 a.m.<\/p>\n Nathan MacKinnon misses another wide-open net. He will never forget that one.<\/p>\n I just want to state for the record: voting for the all-tournament team was due after the first period.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n Toews denied on prime opportunity \u2014 10:05 a.m.<\/p>\n How did that not go in? Devon Toews had the entire net. Connor Hellebuyck made a Tim Thomas-in-2011 paddle save. Insane.<\/p>\n Mark that one down, as they say.<\/p>\n Later, Hellebuyck stops Macklin Celebrini on a breakaway. We are seeing an all-time goaltending performance.<\/p>\n Shots are 9-1 this period. Now 36-17, Canada. They\u2019re going to build a Connor Hellebuyck statue outside of the Tsongas Center, where he played for UMass Lowell.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n Third period underway \u2014 10:01 a.m.<\/p>\n The third period has begun. <\/p>\n Canada has been mixing up its lines all tournament, and this game is no different. US coach Mike Sullivan has mostly stuck with his groupings. To start the third period, however, he moved Dylan Larkin to the top line with Jack Eichel and Brady Tkachuk.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n Tied after two periods \u2014 9:44 a.m.<\/p>\n Double-doink for the Americans. Brock Faber\u2019s point shot rattles right-to-left on the posts after Jake Guentzel tips it. We remain tied.<\/p>\n The teams scrum it up at the end of the period. Brad Marchand, Tom Wilson and Sam Bennett involved, unsurprisingly.<\/p>\n Shots 27-16 in Canada\u2019s favor after 40 minutes.<\/p>\n In both the quarterfinals (against Czechia) and semifinals (Finland), Canada entered the third period down, 2-1. They found their game in full during that second period.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n Canada ties it up \u2014 9:39 a.m.<\/p>\n With 1:44 left in the second period, Canada\u2019s Cale Makar ties it, 1-1. Walked in off the wing and sniped one, low blocker side.<\/p>\n That felt like it was inevitable. Canada spent most of the last 10 minutes in the offensive zone.<\/p>\n Makar, a defenseman, played two seasons of college hockey at UMass, and won the Hobey Baker Award in 2019 as college hockey\u2019s best player..<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n Hellebuyck proving doubters wrong \u2014 9:37 a.m.<\/p>\n No matter how this ends, I think we can scrap the narrative that Connor Hellebuyck can\u2019t play in big games.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n 93 seconds of pure drama \u2014 9:27 a.m.<\/p>\n The US killed it off. That was 93 seconds of pure drama. Brock Faber, Dylan Larkin, and above all, Connor Hellebuyck were some of the heroes there.<\/p>\n Brad Marchand might be seeing those two missed chances \u2013 one on a back-post play, another when he shot into Hellebuyck\u2019s chest \u2013 for a long time.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n Canada goes on 5-on-3 power play \u2014 9:22 a.m.<\/p>\n Uh oh. The Americans take two penalties in 27 seconds, Jake Guentzel for tripping and Charlie McAvoy for hooking.<\/p>\n Here comes Canada\u2019s world-best power play on a 5-on-3 for 1:33.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n The USA chants are louder than ever as the Americans play down two skaters.<\/p>\n \u2013 Katie McInerney<\/p>\n Hellebuyck denies McDavid \u2014 9:19 a.m.<\/p>\n Charlie McAvoy with a sweep check on Brad Marchand, who was heading in for a breakaway. I feel like I\u2019m at Warrior Ice Arena.<\/p>\n Connor Hellebuyck with the save of the game, outwaiting Connor McDavid on a clean breakaway.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n Two disasters narrowly avoided \u2014 9:11 a.m.<\/p>\n Two disasters narrowly avoided in the early portion of the second period: Connor McDavid nearly scored by rifling one through Hellebuyck\u2019s blocker side arm. It went wide. Then Nick Suzuki threw a spinning backhand pass in front. No one found it.<\/p>\n No call on Tom Wilson for taking out Jack Eichel away from the puck.<\/p>\n Feels like Canada is about to score here. They\u2019re coming downhill at the US, which is checking brilliantly and blocking everything.<\/p>\n Matt Boldy broke his stick, Canada was pressuring … and a pass to the top of the zone hit the busted stick and went out, allowing the US to change.<\/p>\n Because someone in the comments asked: Donald Trump is not here.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n Tale of the shot chart \u2014 9:08 a.m.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the shot chart for the first period. The way the Americans were able to get to the front of the net is borderline stunning.<\/p>\n Colleague Frank Seravalli, sitting next to Katie McInerney and me on press row: \u201cThat\u2019s assault!\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n US leads after first period \u2014 8:48 a.m.<\/p>\n After one period, the US leads, 1-0, on Matt Boldy\u2019s nifty goal 6 minutes into the game.<\/p>\n \u201cSomehow [the puck] stayed with me and I got lucky on the goal,\u201d Boldy said during an intermission interview on NBC.<\/p>\n The shots were 7-2, Canada, at one point, but end up 8-8 at the first intermission.<\/p>\n Good start despite trying a few too many complicated plays. US goalie Connor Hellebuyck looks rock-solid.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n US unsuccessful on game\u2019s first power play \u2014 8:41 a.m.<\/p>\n With 2:57 left in the first period, Canada\u2019s Shea Theodore was called for hooking Brock Nelson to give the US the first power play opportunity.<\/p>\n Canada killed the penalty, and it wasn\u2019t much of a power play for the US. Auston Matthews turned down the best look, passing to a covered Matthew Tkachuk in front. D\u2019oh.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n Canada on the offensive \u2014 8:33 a.m.<\/p>\n Canada spent much of the first 10 minutes in the offensive zone. Call Macklin Celebrini, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon the Big Macs, the Mach3 Line, whatever you want \u2013 they are just terrifying.<\/p>\n There was a pretty tough sequence for the Tkachuks: Matthew makes one pass too many (though it was a real nice pass), and Brady has a bad giveaway at the other end. No damage, though.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n Boldy gives US a 1-0 lead \u2014 8:21 a.m.<\/p>\n Millis\u2019 own Matt Boldy opens the scoring with a fabulous move on Jordan Binnington. He went right through Cale Makar and Devon Toews at the blue line and tucked home a backhand to give the United States a 1-0 lead in the first period six minutes into the game.<\/p>\n Auston Matthews and Quinn Hughes had assists on the goal.<\/p>\n That Hughes assist on Boldy\u2019s goal was his seventh of the tournament, extending his Olympic record for an American defenseman. The old record was five, held by Brian Leetch (1988, 2002). Hughes is the top-scoring defenseman in Milan (1-7\u20138).<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n Early first-period observations \u2014 8:20 a.m.<\/p>\n The US played most of its first shift in the offensive zone, but Canada landed the first three shots of the game. Connor Hellebuyck swallowed them all.<\/p>\n They\u2019re keeping it nasty out there. Tom Wilson bowled over Dylan Larkin behind the US net, drawing an oohhhh from the crowd on replay.<\/p>\n \u2013 Matt Porter<\/p>\n This place is rocking already (no surprise). It\u2019s definitely a pro-Canadian crowd, but just by a smidge. The listed capacity of this arena is 16,000, but that\u2019s not accurate. It\u2019s been reported it\u2019s more like 11,800, which seems correct.<\/p>\n \u2013 Katie McInerney<\/p>\n It\u2019s game on, and Team USA hears the boos \u2014 8:15 a.m.<\/p>\n By Matt Porter<\/p>\n When taking the ice, the US was booed heavily by the Canadians in the crowd. There appears to be a lot more red out there than blue, but many Americans are wearing white (as are the US players on the ice). I would call it a slightly pro-Canada crowd.<\/p>\n Puck is dropped. This should be awesome.<\/p>\n No fights off the faceoff, as we saw in last year\u2019s 4 Nations final. But the Tkachuk brothers sandwiched Colton Parayko, and Connor McDavid laid a hit on Jack Eichel.<\/p>\n Lines and defense pairings after warmups \u2014 8:10 a.m.<\/p>\n By Matt Porter<\/p>\n The Americans and Canadians have finished warmups. Here are the lines for the 2026 gold medal game:<\/p>\n United States:<\/p>\n Brady Tkachuk-Jack Eichel-Matthew Tkachuk<\/p>\n Jake Guentzel-Auston Matthews-Matt Boldy<\/p>\n Jack Hughes-Dylan Larkin-Tage Thompson<\/p>\n Vincent Trocheck-Brock Nelson-JT Miller<\/p>\n Clayton Keller<\/p>\n Quinn Hughes-Charlie McAvoy<\/p>\n Jaccob Slavin-Brock Faber<\/p>\n Zach Werenski-Jake Sanderson<\/p>\n Noah Hanifin<\/p>\n Connor Hellebuyck<\/p>\n Jake Oettinger<\/p>\n Canada:<\/p>\n Macklin Celebrini-Connor McDavid-Nathan MacKinnon<\/p>\n Mitch Marner-Nick Suzuki-Mark Stone<\/p>\n Brad Marchand-Sam Bennett-Tom Wilson<\/p>\n Brandon Hagel-Bo Horvat-Seth Jarvis<\/p>\n Sam Reinhart<\/p>\n Devon Toews-Cale Makar<\/p>\n Thomas Harley-Colton Parayko<\/p>\n Travis Sanheim-Drew Doughty<\/p>\n Shea Theodore<\/p>\n Jordan Binnington<\/p>\n Logan Thompson<\/p>\n The referees are South Boston\u2019s Chris Rooney and Canadian Gord Dwyer. The linesmen are Canadian Scott Cherrey and Omni Hautamaki, a Finn.<\/p>\n When taking the ice, the US was booed heavily by the Canadians in the crowd. There appears to be a lot more red out there than blue, but many Americans are wearing white (as are the US players on the ice). I would call it a slightly pro-Canada crowd.<\/p>\n After the game, one final Olympics event \u2014 8:05 a.m.<\/p>\n After the men\u2019s gold medal hockey game, the final event of the Olympics will be the Closing Ceremony.<\/p>\n The farewell to the Milan Cortina Olympics will be held inside the ancient Verona Arena, roughly mid-distance between the far-flung mountain, valley, and city venues that made these the most spread-out Winter Games in Olympic history.<\/p>\n The 2\u00bd-hour ceremony will celebrate Italian music and dance, both classic and contemporary, headlining internationally acclaimed ballet dancer Roberto Bolle along with popular Italian singer Achille Lauro and DJ Gaby Ponte.<\/p>\n Organizers are expecting some 1,500 Olympians, a little over half those who competed in the Games, to parade into the monument built in the first century for gladiator fights and exotic animal hunts.<\/p>\n They will enter en masse behind a pair of flag bearers from each of the 92 participating nations, including biathlete Lisa Vittozzi and speedskater Davide Ghiotto for host Italy, and hockey player Hilary Knight and ice dancer Evan Bates for the United States \u2013 all gold medal winners. \u2013 Associated Press<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/a><\/p>\n How they got here \u2014 8:00 a.m.<\/p>\n Both Canada and the US had a bye into the quarterfinal round of the knockout stage of the Olympic tournament. <\/p>\n Here\u2019s the road to the final for each.<\/p>\n Canada: def. Czechia, 4-3<\/a>; def. Finland, 3-2<\/a><\/p>\n US: def. Sweden, 2-1<\/a>; def. Slovakia, 6-2<\/a><\/p>\n Swayman not dressed for game \u2014 7:45 a.m.<\/p>\n Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman is among the US players not dressed for Sunday\u2019s gold-medal game. The others are defenseman Jackson LaCombe and forward Kyle Connor. Swayman appeared in two games for the US in the tournament.<\/p>\n For Canada, goalie Darcy Kuemper, defenseman Josh Morrissey, and forward Sidney Crosby are not dressed.<\/p>\n Canada captain Sidney Crosby out \u2014 7:30 a.m.<\/p>\n By Matt Porter<\/p>\n Canada has ruled out captain Sidney Crosby for the gold medal game, possibly signaling the end of his legendary Olympic career.<\/p>\n Crosby scored the golden goal for Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Games, missed the game with a right knee injury.<\/p>\n The 38-year-old missed the final two games in Milan. He took a pair of hits in a quarterfinal against Czechia and exited the game.<\/p>\n Canada coach Jon Cooper said Saturday that Crosby would try to play, but he would not dress just to sit on the bench. Olympic rules let hockey teams dress two extra skaters beyond the usual lineup of 18.<\/p>\n Catching up with Team USA before the men\u2019s hockey gold game against Canada \u2014 7:20 a.m.<\/p>\n By Matt Porter<\/p>\n MILAN \u2014 American hockey history was at the heart of Mike Sullivan\u2019s message to the Team USA players he currently leads, the day before an epic battle with Team Canada.<\/p>\n The first year the United States participated in the Olympics was 1920, Sullivan told them, and it was actually in the Summer Olympics. The United States has won the gold medal twice: 1960, with a team of 16 (two goalies, four defenseman, 10 forwards); 1980, a roster of 20<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cSo when you think about it in those terms,\u201d said Sullivan, the Marshfield native, after the the Americans\u2019 final practice in Milan on Saturday, \u201cthere\u2019s 36 American-born hockey players that have gold medals.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat an incredible opportunity we have in front of us.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/a><\/p>\n More Olympics coverage \u2014 7:10 a.m.<\/p>\n \u2022 John Powers: US wins most medals at a Winter Games outside of North America<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022 Katie McInerney: Expected to take center stage at Milan Cortina Olympics, politics remain mostly confined to press conferences<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022 Chad Finn: NBC Sports broadcast teams rise to the occasion with Olympic calls from Milan Cortina<\/a><\/p>\n Material from the Associated Press was included in this report.<\/p>\n Matt Porter can be reached at matthew.porter@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him on BlueSky at mattyports.bsky.social. Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com<\/a>. Follow her on Instagram at @katiemac.sports<\/a>. Matt Pepin can be reached at matt.pepin@globe.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"US](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/H75ZAJNO4FHJ7CWCS4PNQGIRGA.jpg\")
US goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 41 saves in the gold-medal game.Elsa\/Getty<\/p>\n![\"Jack](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/JR2JKMT2FWKS366UJ5EILUFXAA.jpg\")
Jack Hughes is 24.Luca Bruno\/Associated Press<\/p>\n![\"First-period](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ROTE3TYU2VBC3L33QPCXBWKRNY.jpg\")
First-period shot chart for the gold-medal game.Milan Cortina Olympics<\/p>\n