How many across the U.S. got up in the wee hours of the morning today to watch the U.S. vs Canada hockey game? *Raises hand. And, 46 years later to the exact day of the Miracle On Ice game, U.S. Hockey reclaimed the Gold Medal!!
It was one helluva game for sure.
What many watching don’t realize is what this game meant to all of us who watched the Miracle On Ice on that February day in 1980. The U.S. was reeling from massive inflation, a President who lectured us about malaise in his sweater, and confidence was at an all-time low. Then Russia came over and just absolutely destroyed the NHL hockey teams they played. Everyone really thought Russia was going to dominate men’s hockey at the Olympics.
Until Herb Brooks and his team of college players took the ice. What followed was a game like no other. And then this happened.
46 Years Ago Tonight
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) February 22, 2026
"Do you believe in miracles? YES!"
The U.S. men's ice hockey team shocks the world, stunning the heavily-favored Soviets in the medal round of the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
February 22, 1980 pic.twitter.com/AVvWWVDqW2
Winning that game and then going on to beat Finland for the gold was huge, not only for the team and the sport, but for our country. That win was the massive confidence building boost that we all needed. I cannot state enough just how much that win meant to the entire country.
Today’s game was a heart-pounding show stopper for sure. Connor Hellebuyck was a rock star goalie today and everyone will be talking about that one save for years to come!
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/2025588693952516325
Matt Boldy electrified us all with that first goal.
The Catman Cafe in Mansfield, Mass., where Boldy’s mom Jen works as a bartender, nearly blew the roof off the place after watching her son score the opening goal for Team USA in Sunday’s Olympic men’s hockey gold medal match against Canada.
Local Boston news outlet WBZ captured footage of a packed house — up bright and early for the 8:10 a.m. ET puck drop in Milan — erupt in applause as the Minnesota Wild wing carved through a pair of defenders to get the States on the board in the opening period.
It didn’t take long for chants of “U–S–A!” to swell through the lively, balloon-filled establishment.
Boldy, 24, drained Team USA’s first shot on goal in highlight fashion, juggling the puck between a pair of Canadian defenders before sneaking it past goaltender Jordan Binnington to give the States an early 1-0 advantage.
And then it was nail-biter time as Canada tied the game up and then we just couldn’t get a good shot on goal. Connor’s outstanding goal-tending saved the team’s bacon multiple times. Which led to a sudden death overtime.
3 on 3 until the first goal is scored. You’d better believe we were all holding our breath! And then Jack Hughes just nailed it.
I tell you what, this girl still has goosebumps over this win and all the history behind it.
Even more than that is the grit, the heart, the perseverance, and the sheer athleticism of these guys. They played their hearts out, just as our boys on the 1980 team did.
https://twitter.com/1980MiracleTeam/status/2025623168413560891
Jack Hughes, missing a few teeth after taking a stick to the face earlier in the game, said it best just moments later.
https://twitter.com/NBCOlympics/status/2025635361406542230
Watching the entire team sing the National Anthem gave me goosebumps!
Throughout the entire games the U.S. hockey team kept one player in the forefront of their minds. Johnny Gaudreau.
A PICTURE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) February 22, 2026
Team USA honored Johnny Gaudreau by bringing his 2 kids out to the ice and holding his jersey up for a picture after winning the God Medal.
Johnny and his brother Matthew were killed by a drunk driver in 2024, which kept him off the ice today.… pic.twitter.com/LaJapruTUI
Bringing his children on the ice and honoring Johnny that way made the room incredibly dusty for a bit.
46 years after the Miracle on Ice stunned the world, U.S. men’s hockey skated to a gold medal win. The first gold medal for the team SINCE 1980!
It was a win for the U.S. Olympic hockey team and a definitive win for America today.
Feature Photo Credit: US Hockey team meme via wildthing on X, cropped and modified
Hate_me says: Hellebuyk deserves even more credit than he’s being given.
Outside of the crease, Canada dominated that game.
Hellebuyk is the only reason we were even in the conversation.
Wfjag says: The President called the team in their locker room after the victory to congratulate them and invite them to attend the State of the Union address on Tuesday.
Wonder if Democrats will sit on their hands in silence when he introduces them?
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