<\/p>\n
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) and women’s ice hockey gold medalist Hayley Scamurra pose following an NFL football practice in Orchard Park, N.Y., Tuesday, June 2, 2026.<\/p>\n
Jeffrey T. Barnes\/AP Photo\/Jeffrey T. Barnes<\/p>\n
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) and women’s ice hockey gold medalist Hayley Scamurra talk following an NFL football practice in Orchard Park, N.Y., Tuesday, June 2, 2026.<\/p>\n
Jeffrey T. Barnes\/AP Photo\/Jeffrey T. Barnes<\/p>\n
Hayley Scamurra, an Olympic gold medalist women’s hockey player, watches Buffalo Bills players during an NFL football practice in Orchard Park, N.Y., Tuesday, June 2, 2026.<\/p>\n
Jeffrey T. Barnes\/AP Photo\/Jeffrey T. Barnes<\/p>\n
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) and women’s ice hockey gold medalist Hayley Scamurra pose following an NFL football practice in Orchard Park, N.Y., Tuesday, June 2, 2026.<\/p>\n
Jeffrey T. Barnes\/AP Photo\/Jeffrey T. Barnes<\/p>\n
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) \u2014 U.S. hockey Olympic gold medalist Hayley Scamurra grew up in Buffalo rooting for the Bills, never envisioning a time when anyone from the team \u2014 let alone Josh Allen \u2014 would one day seek out her attention.<\/p>\n
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And yet, there she was excitedly watching practice along the sideline on Tuesday, when Allen broke the final huddle and immediately headed toward Scamurra to say hello.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt helps having this,\u201d she said, pointing to the shiny gold medal draped around her neck.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt helped ground me a little bit to be like, `OK, I have something to share with you,\u2019\u201d Scamurra added, in how she kept her nerves in check. \u201cTo be able to share that with him was just really surreal and super cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
The feeling was mutual for the quarterback in appreciating Scamurra\u2019s achievement as a member of the U.S. women\u2019s team that capped an undefeated run at the Milan Cortina Games with a championship-clinching 2-1 overtime win over Canada in February.<\/p>\n
\u201cTrying on a gold medal felt like stolen valor. But you can feel the weight of that, not just literally. There\u2019s a figurative weight that goes long with that,\u201d Allen said of the 5-pound (2.27 kilogram) medal. \u201cI\u2019ve got so much respect for her and what they did in representing our country.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Scamurra gets star treatment<\/p>\n Gold has it\u2019s privileges. The 31-year-old Scamurra became the center of attention among Bills players and staff during a visit that included an exclusive tour of the team\u2019s new stadium set to open this summer, and an exchange of jerseys with Allen.<\/p>\n The origin of the meeting was prompted in Milan. After scoring two goals in an Olympic tournament-opening 5-1 win over Czechia, Scamurra shrieked in delight at the mere thought Allen might be watching.<\/p>\n Word got back to Allen and the Bills, who reached out with an invitation to attend one of their spring practices.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Coach Joe Brady leaped at the opportunity of meeting Scamurra by saying it\u2019s not often he and his players get a chance to rub shoulders with a gold medalist.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was pretty bad-ass, I\u2019m not going to lie,\u201d said Brady, who spent a five-minute portion of practice meeting with Scamurra.<\/p>\n \u201cShe clearly embodies Buffalo, right?\u201d he said of the forward who played a so-called \u201cJill-of-all-trades\u201d role as the U.S. team\u2019s 13th forward. \u201cIt\u2019s the work ethic, the approach, the hey, whatever I can do, that grit and that mindset. That\u2019s probably why she has that gold medal. Not everybody\u2019s built like that.\u201d<\/p>\n PWHL Walter Cup champion<\/p>\n The visit to the Bills continued what\u2019s been a magnificent run for Scamurra, who grew up in Buffalo\u2019s suburb of Getzville. Two weeks ago, she celebrated winning the PWHL Walter Cup championship following the Montreal Victoire\u2019s Game 4-clinching win over Ottawa.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Having already won three world championships, the two-time Olympian is now a member of hockey\u2019s exclusive Triple-Gold club.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like it sinks in at different moments,\u201d said Scamurra, who also won silver at the 2022 Beijing Games.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s like you almost forget about it a little bit. And then you come here and celebrate it again with everyone, and it kind of invigorates you,\u201d she added. \u201cYou get to re-experience the Olympics again, and winning gold.\u201d<\/p>\n Sharing the achievement with Allen and the Bills made it even more special.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I never could have envisioned this,\u201d Scamurra said, recalling how she braved the wintry elements attending Bills games with her father and three brothers. \u201cAnd now, here we are on a warm sunny day in Buffalo, and I get to experience this firsthand.\u201d<\/p>\n AP women\u2019s hockey: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/womens-hockey<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/a>
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