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By Cole Sullivan
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In an all-time classic, Team USA secured a 2-1 overtime victory over Team Canada, capturing their first Winter Olympic gold medal since 1980 and ending a 46-year drought.
Canada outshot the U.S. 41-26, but U.S. goalie Connor Hellebuyck was simply dominant all game. Despite Canada applying consistent pressure for much of the second and third periods, Hellebuyck made key saves when it mattered most, giving his teammates the opportunity to strike first in the 3-on-3 overtime — and that’s exactly what they did.
Twenty-four-year-old Jack Hughes, playing with a chipped front tooth, scored the game-winning goal. While the matchup was filled with respect, Canada’s Nathan MacKinnon took a subtle jab at the U.S. after the loss.
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Keeping it short and pointed, MacKinnon suggested that Canada had the upper hand throughout the game, saying, "You be the judge of who was the better team today."
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The quote quickly surpassed 2.4 million views, sparking outrage among hockey fans and drawing criticism toward MacKinnon.
"You know the better team is whoever scores more goals, because that's the point of the game, bro," one fan said.
Another added, "Well Nate, you had a wide-open shot at the net and hit the side of the goal, so there is that as well. Better team doesn’t always win — the point is to score more than the other team. USA did that. I get fans saying this, but a professional athlete saying it is pathetic."
A third fan weighed in: "Big crybaby energy. Maybe if your goalie made a save. Penalties evened out. You had your chances. Don’t even put a letter on that guy. Sid, Connor, hell, I wouldn’t expect any other member of that team to talk like that."
"Possibly the biggest cope in the history of athletic competition," another fan commented.
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Canada had more than enough opportunities to take the lead, including a glaring chance for MacKinnon, who had a wide-open net on the left side of the ice.
His attempt, however, was left too far inside, one of the most shocking plays of a chaotic third period in which it seemed the Canadians were destined to score on multiple occasions, but ultimately didn't and the USA capitalized when it mattered most.
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