Team USA needed a hero in the gold-medal match against Canada. New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes stepped up. Despite facing criticism for even making the American roster after an underwhelming 4 Nations Face-Off last year, Hughes scored the most consequential goal in US Hockey history on Sunday.
Jack Hughes opens up about winning goal
After a tense three-period run against Canada, Team USA needed an overtime winner to avoid repeating their fate (losing in heartbreaking fashion in OT to Canada) from the 4 Nations Face-Off. Jack Hughes delivered.
In the third period, he drew a penalty on Sam Bennett, which cost him parts of his front teeth. It didn’t translate to a go-ahead goal then, but the New Jersey Devils star said via ESPN, “My first thought was, draw the penalty. Actually, my first thought, I looked on the ice and saw my teeth.”
Eventually, he would score the winner, making the story about his medal and not his tooth. Matt Boldy, who scored the opening goal in the first period, joked that people would be more impressed with the medal than concerned about the new hole in Hughes’ smile.
Hughes reflected on the controversy that followed his Team USA inclusion. “Your whole life you’re always going up against things. There’s always new adversities, new challenges. Every single player in that game went through so many things. … It’s a journey, the whole lifetime of work. I’m just a part of that. I think every single person in that game can be proud. Obviously, a great game and we had the better outcome.”
“I can’t wait to see the footage of what happened after we scored, because it was a complete blackout,” defenseman Charlie McAvoy said of the aftermath of Hughes’ iconic goal. “Who I was hugging, where I was going … I don’t know what happened. It was just euphoria. I can’t even explain what I was feeling, just pure joy.”
Team USA shouts out Connor Hellebuyck
After scoring the golden goal to give Team USA its first Olympic win on the ice since 1980, Jack Hughes barely wanted to talk about himself. He shouted out his country and his teammates, namely Connor Hellebuyck. He said the goalie was the best player on the ice.
Hellebuyck made 41 of 42 saves while the vaunted Canadian frontline, led by Connor McDavid, Cale Makar, and other NHL superstars, could hardly crack his defenses. Matthew Tkachuk was in awe after the game.
“It’s going to go down as one of the best performances of all time — it has to,” Tkachuk said. “Right up there with Jimmy Craig (in 1980), all the great United States goaltenders. In the NHL, whatever type of hockey, whatever goaltending performance you want to talk about, that’s right up there. “
Echoing Hughes’ sentiment, Matt Boldy added, “He was our best player by a mile. He’s an absolute stud. He wants to be in those moments. He wants to make the saves. And he did just that, so he was definitely our MVP.”
Hellebuyck saved over 95% of shots throughout the tournament. He was named the starter despite struggling, including being benched in the playoffs, between now and the 4 Nations Face-Off last year. He performed well in that tournament, too.
The Winnipeg Jets goalie had his Tim Howard moment circa the 2014 World Cup. Howard was unreal in the Round of 16 match against Belgium, making unbelievable saves to keep Team USA in it and get them to an extra period.
Unlike Chris Wondolowski, Jack Hughes netted the winner and got the Americans the win, so Hellebuyck’s outstanding effort, unlike Howard’s, was not in vain, and it earned the Americans a gold medal.
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