The United States defeated Canada 2–1 in overtime in the men’s ice hockey final at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, ending a 46-year wait for an American title in the event. Jack Hughes scored the winner less than two minutes into three-on-three overtime, settling a game that had remained tied through the third period.

The victory gave the United States its third Olympic men’s hockey gold medal, after earlier triumphs at Squaw Valley in 1960 and Lake Placid in 1980. It was also the first American title won away from home. The final fell on the 46th anniversary of the decisive United States-Soviet Union game remembered as the Miracle on Ice, adding another layer of history to an already intense rivalry.

Matt Boldy put the Americans ahead six minutes into the game. Breaking through Canada’s defense, he converted the United States’ first shot past goaltender Jordan Binnington. Canada did not equalize until the closing minutes of the second period, when Cale Makar beat American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to make it 1–1.

The third period produced power-play opportunities for both teams but no goal. Hellebuyck was central to keeping the Americans level, finishing with 41 saves on 42 shots. His stops included a stick save against Devon Toews, and his performance ensured the game reached overtime despite sustained Canadian pressure.

Hughes then supplied the finish. His overtime goal followed a quarterfinal in which his brother Quinn Hughes had scored the winner against Sweden. The younger Hughes described the result as a victory achieved the way the team wanted: by going through Canada. He also singled out Hellebuyck as the side’s best player and framed the win as an expression of American hockey’s resilience.

For Canada, the defeat ended a bid for a 10th Olympic men’s hockey gold and produced the country’s fifth silver medal. Canada had last won the Olympic tournament in 2014, the previous Games at which NHL players participated before returning for Milan Cortina. The final also reversed the result of the 2010 championship game in Vancouver, where Canada beat the United States in overtime.

The matchup extended a series of close, high-stakes games between the neighbors. Canada had also beaten the United States in overtime in the 4 Nations Face-Off the previous year. This time, the Americans held on through Canada’s push, then converted quickly in the extra period.

After the medal was secured, American players honored Johnny Gaudreau. Several members of the Olympic roster had been his NHL teammates before Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed while cycling in New Jersey in August 2024. The tribute closed a final that combined rivalry, remembrance and a landmark result for the United States. The gold-medal game was the last sporting event of the Milan Cortina Games before the closing ceremony.