All articles tagged with #olympic hockey
US Olympic hockey star Brady Tkachuk denounces a viral AI-generated White House clip that allegedly insults Canadians after the US won gold; he says the voice and lips aren’t his. The episode coincides with Trump’s post‑win remarks and a joke about inviting the women’s team, which drew criticism. Twenty US men’s players later visited the White House, while the women’s team declined the invitation.
Jack Hughes was greeted with a thunderous ovation at Prudential Center as the New Jersey Devils resumed play after the Olympic break, fresh off scoring Team USA’s gold in Milan; he addressed the crowd amid strong U.S. patriotic vibes, with fans chanting 'USA' and celebrating Hughes’ gold-medal heroics.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the U.S.-Canada Olympic hockey gold medal game drew strong ratings (18.6 million, peaking at 26 million) but its 8:10 a.m. ET start due to IOC scheduling likely kept millions from watching live; he’s pressuring the IOC to consider a better timeslot for future Games (including Salt Lake City 2034 in primetime) and criticized the IOC for restricting use of Olympic footage in marketing, noting ongoing talks with IOC president Kirsty Coventry.
NBC and Peacock combined to average 18.6 million viewers for the U.S.-Canada Olympic men’s hockey final, the largest hockey audience since 2010, with 3.7 million streaming viewers and encore airings pushing total reach to about 20.7 million; Nielsen-only figures would be around 14.9 million, underscoring NBC’s success leveraging streaming and new measurement methods for Olympic hockey’s marquee moment.
Twenty of the 25 members of the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team will attend Tuesday’s State of the Union in Washington after being invited by President Trump following their gold-medal victory, with some players opting out due to upcoming games or personal schedules. Others, including Jake Oettinger and Kyle Connor, will not attend or have limited involvement, and several players are already traveling or preparing with their NHL teams. The White House visit followed a celebratory trip, and attendance decisions are being made on a per-player basis.
Team USA’s moving tribute to late hockey star Johnny Gaudreau—hanging his No. 13 jersey in the locker room and carrying it onto the ice after the gold-medal win—elicited heartfelt responses from his widow Meredith Gaudreau and sister Katie Gaudreau, who thanked the squad on social media and on Fox News. The homage also included Gaudreau’s children, Johnny Jr. and Noa, in the celebration, honoring a player who had been slated to compete for Team USA before his 2024 death.
Team USA defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win its first men’s hockey gold since 1980 in Milan, while paying a heartfelt tribute to late Johnny Gaudreau by parading his jersey and recognizing his family at the medal ceremony; teammates said they played for him, turning the victory into a memorial moment for the beloved hockey star.
Bryce Harper expressed pride in representing the United States after the U.S. men’s hockey team beat Canada to win Olympic gold, highlighting the emotional weight and patriotism of wearing a USA jersey on the world stage.
In Milan, Team USA defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win its first Olympic men’s hockey gold in 46 years. In a poignant moment before the final, captains Zach Werenski and Auston Matthews arranged for a team photo with the late Johnny Gaudreau and his family on the ice, honoring Johnny and his brother Matty, who were killed in 2024. Noa Gaudreau and Johnny Gaudreau Jr. joined the celebration, symbolizing the players’ belief that Johnny’s presence steadied and inspired the team throughout the tournament. Teammates and family members spoke about the enduring impact Johnny and Matty had on the squad, with jersey tributes and the moment on the ice underscoring the honor of the win.
Dylan Larkin, described as Team USA’s heartbeat, powers the Americans into the Milano Cortina 2026 gold medal game against Canada with clutch goals and leadership that energize the team.
In Cleveland Heights, about 75 residents gathered at the community center to watch Team USA win Olympic women’s hockey gold after Laila Edwards tied the game and scored the OT winner, turning a hometown moment into a global milestone. Edwards—who began playing hockey locally and played for the University of Wisconsin—was celebrated as the first Black woman to represent the U.S. women’s hockey team, with GoFundMe support and a donation from Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and his brother Jason helping her journey. The city plans a parade in April, underscoring a tight-knit community’s pride and the broader significance for Black history and local identity.
Laila Edwards, who became the first Black woman to win Olympic gold in ice hockey for Team USA, joked on a podcast that she’s the best athlete to come out of Cleveland Heights. Jason Kelce weighed in with a lighthearted “No objection!” on the Not Gonna Lie podcast, reflecting the brothers’ shared hometown pride. The Kelce family had previously helped Edwards’ Olympic journey with donations to cover travel costs, and Jason and his wife Kylie were later seen cheering Edwards at the Games.
Finland criticized the officiating after losing to Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics men’s hockey semifinal, pointing to two Canadian referees and a late penalty on Niko Mikkola that allowed Nathan MacKinnon to score the game‑winner with just over two minutes left. Teemu Selänne called the call “Absolutely embarrassing,” and Joel Armia complained of goalie interference on the tying goal; Finland challenged the Canada goal but it was unsuccessful. Canada advances to the gold medal game against the United States.
Canada rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat defending champion Finland 3-2 in Milan, with Nathan MacKinnon scoring the go-ahead goal on a late power play with 35.2 seconds left, sending Canada to the Olympic men’s hockey gold medal game against the USA or Slovakia.
Canada and Finland advanced to the Olympic men’s hockey semifinals after a quarterfinal round packed with late dramatics and overtime finishes; Crosby’s availability for Canada remains a storyline as they lean on a reshaped top line with Celebrini, MacKinnon and McDavid, while Finland relies on depth led by Lehkonen and Heiskanen. The United States faces Slovakia in the other semifinal, promising a night of high-stakes, edge-of-your-seat hockey.