Canada loses OT heartbreaker to USA in Olympic gold medal game
Canada’s conquest for Olympic gold in men’s hockey came to a heartbreaking end on Sunday morning.
It was a gold medal matchup against the USA that lived up to all the hype, but they couldn’t find their golden moment, losing 2-1 in disappointing fashion. Canada controlled the pace of play for just about the entire game, but was stymied by American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck at every turn.
Matt Boldy opened the scoring for the United States in the first period, while Cale Makar countered for Canada in the second. It could only end one way: in overtime.
While Canada will always have Sidney Crosby’s golden goal in Vancouver 2010, the USA got their own version with Jack Hughes scoring the OT winner this time around.
Team U.S.A. wins men's hockey gold in OT pic.twitter.com/h5HMBZIEz7
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) February 22, 2026
The loss is even more difficult to swallow due to the fact that both Devon Toews and Nathan MacKinnon missed wide-open nets that could’ve given Canada the lead. They also failed to convert on a power play late in regulation.
Those missed opportunities left the door open for the United States.
š³š³š³ pic.twitter.com/g9s3Rj5oAf
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) February 22, 2026
This is the first Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey for the USA since Lake Placid 1980, best known for their Miracle on Ice victory against the USSR. Coincidentally, today also happened to be the 46th anniversary of that American victory.
For Canada, this is the first time they’ve failed to win gold with NHL players competing at the Olympics since Turin 2006, which was also hosted in Italy.
It was a cathartic victory for the USA, who avenged not only last year’s loss to Canada at the 4 Nations, but also Vancouver 2010.
This had the chance at being a game that Canadians would remember with reverence for years to come, but many will be trying to forget it as soon as they can.
Onto the French Alps 2030 Winter Olympic Games.