The Canadian men’s hockey team could not maintain its best-on-best dominance over the United States, falling 2-1 in overtime in Sunday’s gold-medal game at the Milan-Cortina Games.
New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes scored 1:41 into overtime, left alone in the slot during 3-on-3 play as Canada scrambled after surrendering an odd-man break seconds earlier.
The Americans last won gold in 1980, when the “Miracle on Ice” team triumphed at Lake Placid, N.Y. Sunday’s win came 46 years to the day after the U.S. upset the five-time Olympic champion Soviet Union 4-3 in that semifinal.
U.S. forward Matt Boldy opened the game’s scoring in the first period, Canadian defenceman Cale Makar tied things up 1-1 with 1:44 remaining in the second, and Hughes ultimately scored the winner in three-on-three overtime.
U.S. goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stood tall for his team throughout the contest, recording 41 saves on 42 shots against.
The silver medal is Canada’s sixth in Olympic history.
Finland claimed the bronze on Saturday with a 6-1 victory over Slovakia.
The men’s result mirrored the U.S. women, who also defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win gold on Thursday.
Canada played the final without captain Sidney Crosby, sidelined by a lower-body injury sustained when his right leg bent awkwardly in the quarterfinal win over Czechia.
He also missed the 3-2 semifinal victory over Finland on Friday.
Connor McDavid, who served as captain for the second straight game, was named tournament MVP.
McDavid led the tournament in scoring with two goals and 11 assists. His 13 points set the record for most points of any player in a single Olympic tournament with NHL participation. He was also picked as the tournament’s best forward.
Voting for MVP was conducted at the first intermission of the gold-medal game, per insider Frank Seravalli.
The Edmonton Oilers captain was also named to the tournament all-star team, along with Canadian teammates Cale Makar and Macklin Celebrini.
Celebrini, just 19 years old, led the tournament with five goals, while Makar scored Canada’s lone goal in the gold-medal game.
Hellebuyck was the goaltender to make the all-star team, while American defenceman Quinn Hughes – named the tournament’s best defender – also made the all-star team.
Slovakian and Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky was the lone player not from Canada or the U.S. to make the tournament all-star team.
Canada had previously beaten the United States for Olympic gold in 2002 and 2010.
The silver leaves Canada with 21 medals at the Games, eighth in the overall standings behind Norway (41), the United States (33), and host Italy (30).
The Canadian men’s hockey team could not maintain its best-on-best dominance over the United States, falling 2-1 in overtime in Sunday’s gold-medal game at the Milan-Cortina Games. New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes scored 1:41 into overtime, left alone in the slot during 3-on-3 play as Canada scrambled after surrendering an odd-man break seconds earlier. Canada
The Canadian men’s hockey team could not maintain its best-on-best dominance over the United States, falling 2-1 in overtime in Sunday’s gold-medal game at the Milan-Cortina Games.
New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes scored 1:41 into overtime, left alone in the slot during 3-on-3 play as Canada scrambled after surrendering an odd-man break seconds earlier.
The Americans last won gold in 1980, when the “Miracle on Ice” team triumphed at Lake Placid, N.Y. Sunday’s win came 46 years to the day after the U.S. upset the five-time Olympic champion Soviet Union 4-3 in that semifinal.
U.S. forward Matt Boldy opened the game’s scoring in the first period, Canadian defenceman Cale Makar tied things up 1-1 with 1:44 remaining in the second, and Hughes ultimately scored the winner in three-on-three overtime.
U.S. goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stood tall for his team throughout the contest, recording 41 saves on 42 shots against.
The silver medal is Canada’s sixth in Olympic history.
Finland claimed the bronze on Saturday with a 6-1 victory over Slovakia.
The men’s result mirrored the U.S. women, who also defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win gold on Thursday.
Canada played the final without captain Sidney Crosby, sidelined by a lower-body injury sustained when his right leg bent awkwardly in the quarterfinal win over Czechia.
He also missed the 3-2 semifinal victory over Finland on Friday.
Connor McDavid, who served as captain for the second straight game, was named tournament MVP.
McDavid led the tournament in scoring with two goals and 11 assists. His 13 points set the record for most points of any player in a single Olympic tournament with NHL participation. He was also picked as the tournament’s best forward.
Voting for MVP was conducted at the first intermission of the gold-medal game, per insider Frank Seravalli.
The Edmonton Oilers captain was also named to the tournament all-star team, along with Canadian teammates Cale Makar and Macklin Celebrini.
Celebrini, just 19 years old, led the tournament with five goals, while Makar scored Canada’s lone goal in the gold-medal game.
Hellebuyck was the goaltender to make the all-star team, while American defenceman Quinn Hughes – named the tournament’s best defender – also made the all-star team.
Slovakian and Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky was the lone player not from Canada or the U.S. to make the tournament all-star team.
Canada had previously beaten the United States for Olympic gold in 2002 and 2010.
The silver leaves Canada with 21 medals at the Games, eighth in the overall standings behind Norway (41), the United States (33), and host Italy (30).