Breaking: Jewish Ice Hockey Star Jack Hughes Delivers Olympic Gold for Team USA | WATCH
24-year-old Jack Hughes makes history as the Jewish-American hero of the 2026 Winter Olympics, scoring the golden goal to defeat Canada in the Milano Cortina final.
In a thrilling conclusion to the men's ice hockey tournament at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Jewish-American forward Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal in overtime, securing a 2-1 victory for Team USA over arch-rival Canada and claiming the nation's first men's hockey gold medal since the iconic "Miracle on Ice" in 1980.
Hughes, the 24-year-old New Jersey Devils star who had a bar mitzvah and grew up celebrating Passover with his Jewish mother Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, fired a wrist shot past Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington just 1:41 into the 3-on-3 overtime period.
The decisive play came after defenseman Zach Werenski stripped the puck from Nathan MacKinnon in the right face-off circle and fed it across to Hughes, who beat Binnington with a quick release.
The game, played at Santaguilia Arena, was a defensive battle marked by intense physicality and stellar goaltending. Team USA took an early lead when Matt Boldy scored six minutes into the first period, but Canada tied it late in the second with a goal from Cale Makar.
American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was instrumental in the win, stopping 41 of 42 shots, including a perfect 18-for-18 on the penalty kill throughout the tournament.
Canada was without star Sidney Crosby, who missed the game due to injury.
This marks the United States' third men's Olympic hockey gold, echoing the 1980 triumph exactly 46 years to the day.
Hughes, the first Jewish player selected No. 1 overall in the NHL Draft in 2019, has been a standout for Team USA, adding to his family's hockey legacy, his brothers Quinn and Luke are also NHL players with Jewish heritage.
The victory caps a dominant Olympic run for the Americans, who outshot Canada 28-42 but prevailed through resilience and clutch performances.
Hughes' overtime heroics have sparked celebrations across the U.S. and within the Jewish community, highlighting his role as a prominent Jewish athlete in a sport not traditionally associated with the faith.