Jack Hughes scores in overtime, U.S. beats Canada 2-1 for Olympic men’s hockey gold

Canada goalie Jordan Binnington (50) makes a save on United States' Matt Boldy (12) during the third period of the men's gold medal hockey game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

MILAN — Canada settled for silver in Olympic men’s hockey.

Jack Hughes scored at 1:41 of 3-on-3 overtime and an outstanding Connor Hellebuyck made 41 saves as the United States defeated its northern neighbour 2-1 in a stunning Sunday gold-medal showdown at the Milan Cortina Games.

Matt Boldy had the other goal for the Americans to tie a bow on the NHL’s return to the world stage following a 12-year absence.

Cale Makar replied for the Canadians. Jordan Binnington made 26 saves.

Canada’s NHL stars won Olympic gold with victories over the U.S. in 2002 and 2010 before repeating against Sweden in 2014, but came up short in Milan.

Hughes won it in the extra period when he took a pass from Zach Werenski and fired a shot five-hole past Binnington after Quinn Hughes — Jack’s brother — was denied by a huge stop from the Canada’s netminder.

Canadian captain Sidney Crosby was scratched for a second straight game with a lower-body injury after missing Friday’s last-minute semifinal win over Finland. The 38-year-old’s right leg bent at an awkward angle on a hit during Wednesday’s quarterfinal victory in overtime against Czechia.

Superstar centre Connor McDavid again wore the ‘C’ in Crosby’s place. He was named tournament MVP with two goals and 11 assists in six games. His 13 points set a record for most at a single Olympics.

Josh Morrissey also sat out for a fifth straight game after the puck-moving defenceman was hurt in Canada’s opener last week.

The red-clad, pro-Canadian crowd was in full voice across Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena — a facility completed just before the Games located southeast of Milan’s city centre — ahead of puck drop. Dozens of red Maple Leafs were unfurled throughout the 11,600-seat venue, while the Stars and Stripes was peppered throughout the venue.

The NHL’s Olympic return culminated with a memorable final.

The league went to five Games between 1998 and 2014 before skipping the 2018 event for financial reasons. Concerns over COVID-19 scuttled plans for a 2022 comeback.

The U.S. hemmed Canada into the defensive zone on the first shift before Macklin Celebrini had the first good chance.

Canadian winger Tom Wilson then delivered a thunderous hit on Dylan Larkin behind the American net to send the forward flying into the end boards as duelling chants of “Let’s Go Canada!” and “U-S-A! U-S-A!” rang around the incandescent rink.

The U.S. opened the scoring six minutes into the opening period when Boldy chipped the puck past Makar and defence partner Devon Toews, and went against the grain on Binnington to slide home his team’s first shot on target.

Auston Matthews had a great look on an American power play, but chose to pass instead of shooting to help Canada survive and head to the locker room only down 1-0.

The Canadians had a big push to start the second period, but couldn’t find a way through Hellebuyck before Toews gave the puck away in front to Brock Nelson, who was denied by Binnington.

McDavid moved in on a breakaway as fans on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean held their collective breath only to be denied when he ran out of real estate.

Canada got a 5-on-3 power for 93 seconds later in the period, but was again unable to solve the American netminder, including chances off the sticks of Nathan MacKinnon and Celebrini.

Head coach Jon Cooper put the Canadian lines in a blender before his team finally equalized. The puck went from Toews to the fleet-skated Makar after an offensive zone faceoff, and he snapped a shot past Hellebuyck’s blocker after charging down the right side to send his country’s fans into a frenzy at 18:16.

The U.S. nearly went back ahead in the dying seconds when Jake Guentzel’s tip of Brock Faber’s point shot struck Binnington’s left post.

Toews had an excellent chance to push Canada ahead early in the third. Hellebuyck made a desperation save with his stick on the goal line, and denied Macklin Celebrini on a break at the end of a shift.

MacKinnon had a wide-open net midway through the period, but saw his shot hit the side of the goal.

The U.S. went to the power play with 6:34 to go in regulation when Sam Bennett was assessed a double-minor for high-sticking on Jack Hughes.

Binnington and Canada’s penalty kill stood its ground, and Hughes was whistled for a high-sticking minor of his own on Bo Horvat with 49 seconds remaining in Bennett’s infraction, but the U.S. killers did the job despite some terrific looks to force OT.

The Americans’ last gold medal came at the 1980 Games as part of the “Miracle on Ice” — exactly 46 years to the day of the 2026 final — when an underdog team of college players defeated the Soviet Union on the way to an improbable podium win.

The Canadian topped their neighbours to the south 2-1 in dramatic fashion on a McDavid OT goal at last year’s politically-charged 4 Nations Face-Off — an Olympic appetizer marked accented by U.S. President Donald Trump’s continued rhetoric that his country’s close ally and trading partner should become the 51st state.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press