The United States men’s hockey team made history during the 2026 Winter Olympics when they beat Canada 2-1 sudden-death overtime victory, winning gold for just the second time in the nation’s history.
NHL star Jack Hughes — who had multiple teeth knocked out during the game — scored the game-winning goal during the February 2026 face-off.
“This is all about our country right now,” Hughes told NBC Sports’ Kathryn Tappen after the win. “I love the USA. I love my teammates. It’s unbelievable. The USA hockey brotherhood is so strong. We had so much support from ex-players. I’m so proud to be an American today.”
He added, “That’s a great Canadian team, but we’re USA. We’re so proud to be Americans. Tonight was all for the country.”
The team’s victory marked the second time in U.S. history that Team USA men’s hockey won a gold medal. The first was in 1980, when the United States beat Finland 4-2 in the gold medal round after the iconic “Miracle on Ice.” (The women’s USA hockey team has won gold three times, in 1998, 2018 and 2026.)
The “Miracle on Ice” refers to Team USA’s unlikely win over the heavily favored Soviet Union, in which a team of college students defeated a team of professional athletes 4 to 3.
Following Team USA’s Milan Olympics hockey win, several similarities between the February 2026 gold medal game and the “Miracle on Ice” have emerged. Keep scrolling for everything to know:
The Date
The “Miracle on Ice” win took place on February 22, 1980, while the Team USA men’s hockey gold medal win came exactly 46 years later on February 22, 2026.
The Opponents
While the countries were different — the “Miracle on Ice” game saw Team USA going up against the Soviet Union and the 2026 game was played against Canada — the United States was considered the underdog in both.
In 1980, the Soviet Union was the favorite after having won four consecutive gold medals for hockey. In 2026, Canada was also the favorite to take home the gold. (The two teams last competed for a gold medal in the 2020 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. Team Canada won in overtime, securing the nation’s eighth gold medal in men’s hockey.)
How They Won
Both wins were pretty dramatic if you ask Us.
In 1980, the game-winning goal came when team captain Mike Eruzione scored in the third period, giving the United States a lead over the Soviet Union. For the final 10 minutes, Team USA kept their lead to win. ABC anchor Al Michaels famously yelled, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” during the broadcast, giving the iconic sports moment its name before the miracle was completed when Team USA took home the gold.
The 2026 game went into sudden-death overtime with a three-on-three format. Hughes scored the final goal after knocking out more than a few teeth, making Team USA gold medalists once more.
The Post-Game Interviews
The 1980 boys had their celebration after the win against the Soviet Union, but that wasn’t the memorable press conference. After beating Finland for the gold, Team USA chatted with reporters and forward John Harrington had already consumed “three beers after the game.”
Harrington laughed about the interview during the Netflix documentary Miracle: The Boys of ‘80 in February 2026. “I was just being my typical bigmouth,” he quipped.
In 2026, Team USA defenseman Quinn Hughes made headlines during an interview with NBC’s Mike Tirico when he had a Michelob Ultra in hand and appeared to be inebriated.
