By Trevor Stynes and Amy Tennery
MILAN, Feb 22 (Reuters) – The United States ended a nearly half-century wait for Olympic men’s ice hockey gold with a 2-1 overtime victory against Canada in a thrilling final on Sunday, with Jack Hughes delivering their third title and first since 1980 with the winning shot.
Hughes left it all – including at least one of his teeth – out on the ice in a nerve-jangling triumph exactly 46 years to the day of the iconic U.S. “Miracle on Ice” victory over the Soviet Union en route to gold in Lake Placid.
It came down to three-on-three play where Hughes collected a pass from Zach Werenski and fired into the net one minute and 41 seconds into the extra period, flashing a bloody, chipped grin after receiving a high stick to the face in the third period.
The goal resulted in gloves, helmets and sticks flying over the ice as his teammates ran to smother the country’s hero.
Matt Boldy had put the U.S. ahead after six minutes with the Americans’ first shot of the game before Canada levelled through Cale Makar to set up a nail-biting final period after U.S. goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 40 saves over the 60 minutes.
Canada were forced to play without their captain Sidney Crosby, 38, a living legend in his country who scored the overtime goal against the U.S. to secure gold on home ice at Vancouver 2010. Crosby left the quarter-final injured in a sad finish with wondering if it could be his last Games.
“You want to be out there and you want to find every way possible but not at the expense of what needs to be done,” said Crosby. “It’s just unfortunate we couldn’t find a way.”
DOUBLE GOLD FOR U.S. ICE HOCKEY
It is the first time the U.S. have won the men’s and women’s tournaments in a single Games, with the American women beating Canada in their own overtime thriller on Thursday.
The games were played against the backdrop of political tensions between the U.S. and Canada, with President Donald Trump having repeatedly threatened to make Canada the 51st state through “economic force.”
Trump congratulated the men’s team on social media moments after the final buzzer, while the White House X account posted an image of an American bald eagle stepping on the neck of a Canadian goose.
DREAM SHOWDOWN BETWEEN NORTH AMERICAN RIVALS
Billed as the showpiece match the ice hockey world wanted to see following the return of NHL players to the Games after a 12-year absence, the North American rivals did not disappoint.
Fans at the Santagiulia arena poured out duelling chants of “USA!” and “Canada!” as the players traded blows.
It took until the sixth minute for the U.S. to get their first shot off, but they made it count.
Boldy juggled the puck on his stick on his way past two Canadian defenders and slipped a backhander beyond the goalie.
The U.S. had not conceded on a power play all tournament but with two players in the penalty box that impressive statistic came under threat. The Americans held firm during five-on-three play midway through the second period.
Canada, however, finally found a way past Hellebuyck in goal with less than two minutes to the final interval. Devon Toews’ pass found Makar in acres of space and the Canadian defenceman made no mistake with his wrist shot.
The U.S. squandered a prime chance to avoid overtime when Sam Bennett, a last-minute replacement on the Canadian roster, got sent to the penalty box for four minutes after whacking Hughes across the mouth in the third period.
However, the fans’ desperate screams did nothing to inspire another goal as the clock wound down.
Four days after his older brother, Quinn, delivered the kill-shot in the Americans’ quarter-final win, it was Jack Hughes’ turn to shine and he proudly flashed his battle-dented smile as he wrapped himself in the American flag.
Finland, gold medallists four years ago, took bronze on Saturday with a 6-1 win over Slovakia.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes and Amy Tennery; Additional reporting by Lori Ewing and Giulio Piovaccari; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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