Olympic Gold Is Connor Hellebuyck's Magnum Opus
The goalie, who has struggled in the biggest moments, came through with an all-time display of heroics for Team USA in gold medal game...
Back in 1980, the last time Team USA won Olympic gold, they had a miracle to thank.
This time around, they will be counting their lucky stars that they had Connor Hellebuyck in net.
Forty-six years to the day since the famous “Miracle on Ice,” Team USA won gold for the first time since 1980, becoming the dominant powerhouse in hockey thanks to what should be now called the “Miracle in Net.”
Yes, most of the plaudits will belong to New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes, who, missing one of his front teeth after taking a high stick to the face earlier in the game, became the American hero after scoring the golden goal less than two minutes into overtime. It capped off an impressive tournament for Hughes, who finished with seven points (4 G, 3 A) in six games while carrying out his role to perfection.
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However, let’s not get things twisted here; were it not for Hellebuyck’s heroics between the pipes, then Hughes never would have had the opportunity to deliver a long-awaited golden moment for an entire country in the first place.
It was because of Hellebuyck that Team USA survived 60 minutes of sheer, unrelenting pressure from Canada. It was because of Hellebuyck that Team USA hung on long enough to just get to overtime.
And it is because of Hellebuyck, largely, that Team USA will be returning home from Italy with the gold and bragging rights over Team Canada.
Sure, the image of Hughes grinning from ear to ear, bloodied and missing some of his top teeth, will go down as the defining image of Team USA’s surge to Olympic glory. And rightly so. After all, Hughes, only 24 years old, has already gone through so much in his young career, having had to navigate a slew of significant injuries. He richly deserves his moment in the sun today.
With that said, if you want to discover the true story of how Team USA was able to topple a juggernaut Canada team, even without captain Sidney Crosby in the lineup, just go back and really study Hellebuyck’s impressive body of work in the gold medal game.
Other than Matt Boldy opening the scoring for the Americans just six minutes in, the ice was tilted with Canada’s array of elite talent taking the game to their rivals in unrelenting fashion. Like a boxer who doesn’t let up with his opponent on the ropes, Canada unleashed a torrent of body shots without ever being able to land the knockout punch.
Thank Hellebuyck for that.
The Winnipeg Jets goalie stood on his head from the first drop of the puck, doing whatever was needed in order to withstand a never-ending onslaught. He stopped 41 of 42 shots, including 19 shots in the second period. When Canada had a 93-second 5-on-3 power play in the middle frame, Hellebuyck again stood tall to keep the barrage at bay.
There were several highlight stops, too, most notably a purely instinctual paddle save to deny Devon Toews at point-blank range. Make no mistake about it; this wasn’t an open-net miss by Toews, rather a stunning, jaw-dropping reaction stop by Hellebuyck, who also denied Connor McDavid on a breakaway. Throughout this game, Hellebuyck’s elite positioning and play reading were on display. Oh, in addition to saving a flurry of grade-A chances, he also started the play that led to Hughes’ overtime heroics, earning the secondary assist on the golden goal as a result.
What makes what we witnessed from Hellebuyck in the gold medal game even more remarkable is the fact that the four-time All-Star was considered a potential weak spot on arguably one of the deepest and most talented rosters Team USA has ever had. Although one of the best netminders in the National Hockey League with no shortage of accolades, including winning the Vezina Trophy last year, all of Hellebuyck’s regular season success has shriveled up come playoff time. He has failed to pilot very good Winnipeg teams to anywhere close to the Stanley Cup over the last couple of seasons, including being pulled three times in the first round against the St. Louis Blues in 2025.
Also on the losing team to Canada at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, Hellebuyck has had to wear the unwanted distinction of being the elite regular season goalie who falters when it matters the most. Ultimately, in a team sport like hockey, team glory will always come above personal accolades, and the 32-year-old has never been able to capture the big one for team or country.
Until now.
Forty-six years after Jim Craig saved 36 of the 39 shots he faced against the Soviet Union, Hellebuyck finally slayed his own personal demons by playing the starring role in a game on the biggest stage, in a game that will arguably go down as one of the biggest in hockey history. He broke a record for the most saves in a gold medal game with NHL participation, beating out Ryan Miller’s 36-save effort for Team USA in Vancouver in 2010.
One of the best goaltenders of his generation was the best player in the biggest game of his life. When the stakes were at their highest, with the entire sports world watching, he delivered in the biggest way possible.
Gold medal now secured, and his legacy revitalized, what Hellebuyck did in Italy against Canada will now go down as his ultimate Magnum Opus.