The Team USA Olympic ice hockey win over Canada wasn’t a miracle.
This time, the American skaters didn’t need one.
They just needed the last goal.
Forty-six years ago, in Lake Placid, a miracle was necessary. When the roster was composed of American college kids playing against the Soviet Red Army team that had dominated international hockey for decades, a little divine intervention was probably the missing ingredient.
Forty-six years ago, there were intense international politics involved that weren’t (quite as) present today.
Forty-six years ago, the country was looking to be united by an athletic achievement. Now, hmm, a momentary distraction will suffice.
No, America’s 2-1 Olympic gold medal victory over Canada wasn’t an unprecedented upset with massive geo-socio implications. This was the hockey game coach Herb Brooks always wanted the 1980 showdown against the Russians to be.
This was about an ice hockey rivalry win. It wasn’t David versus Goliath, shrouded in East versus West nationalism.
This was about one good team beating another. This was Ali-Frazier, Duke-North Carolina, Yankees-Red Sox, Lakers-Celtics, Ohio State-Michigan.
At most, maybe it was big brother versus little brother — seeing as how the American side had a 46-year Olympic gold-medal drought.
Since 1998, in Olympic tournaments with NHL players allowed, the Canadians racked up three gold medals (2002, ‘10, ‘14). The U.S. had none. Canada also recently beat the American team in the 4 Nations tournament a year ago.
Team USA didn’t need a miracle. But it did need a medal.
A gold one. Nothing less.
They got it with a 2-1 victory over Canada on Sunday in Italy thanks to a Jack Hughes 3-on-3 overtime goal.
JACK HUGHES DELIVERS AMERICA'S GOLDEN MOMENT IN OVERTIME. pic.twitter.com/4foFDOri53
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 22, 2026
With or without Sidney Crosby dressed, the Americans had every right to feel they were worthy of standing toe-to-toe with the Canadian squad. American hockey claimed the 2025 World Championship, as well as the World Juniors in 2024 and 2025.
They weren’t punching up at Fetisov, Kharlamov, Krutov, Petrov and Tretiak. These were U.S.-born NHL-ers staring eye-to-eye at their Canadian peers.
A slingshot wasn’t necessary. Just a stiff jaw and a knockout punch.
Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck’s 41 saves provided the former. Hughes’ goal provided the latter.
There probably won’t be 20 documentaries about this game. I’m guessing Disney won’t make a movie out of it either. I’m not sure if Kurt Russell can pull off Mike Sullivan like he nailed Brooks anyway.
But I’ll certainly watch the replay on Peacock. It was compelling, and it delivered the heavyweight fight we all wanted.
It was still a great moment. It genuinely was born from great opportunity. But — sorry, Kurt — if this game was played 10 times, neither club was going to win nine.
It’s more likely to have ended in a 5-5 tie.
We didn’t witness a massive upset in Milan. This wasn’t an international political melodrama. Pretending it was close to that is trying too hard.
This was just a great game between the two best teams that we all expected to see in the final. Sometimes, that can be goal-medal worthy all by itself.
In 2026, Team USA won’t get a movie script. The players can just read the box score.
