Team USA Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck had a legacy performance with 41 saves in the 2-1 overtime win over Canada.
If you subscribe to the saying defense wins championships, there is perhaps no better individual performance – if you’re willing to count goaltenders – that exemplified that than Team USA goalie Connor Hellebuyck in Sunday’s thrilling overtime victory. For the first time in 46 years, the United States won the Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey with a golden goal by toothless star Jack Hughes in the in 3-on-3 overtime for a 2-1 win over rival Canada, who beat them in the finals back in 2010. Team USA was outshot 42-28, and yet, their outing was more efficient with the backing of sensational Hellebuyck, who had 41 saves to bring the United States to overtime.
That was against three of the top four scorers in the NHL in San Jose Sharks' Macklin Celebrini, Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid, and Colorado Avalanches' Nathan MacKinnon. The Winnipeg Jets' goaltender stopped all of them, including McDavid on a breakaway, and made perhaps one of the greatest saves in hockey history with his paddle on a shot by Devon Toews, who was fully wide open at the net. Team USA defenseman Zach Werenski said postgame that it was the “greatest performance [I've] ever seen from a goalie.” Aided by impeccable effort by his penalty-killers, Hellebuyck also fended off Canada on an extended 5-on-3.
Here is the full story from Hockey News Roundtable writer Ryan Kennedy on Hellebuyck’s historic performance.
Hellebuyck’s performance was one of confidence, something his teammates saw from him in the time leading up to the final moments. Star defenseman Quinn Hughes said that once he saw Hellebuyck fell asleep on the bus on the way to their quarterfinal win over Sweden, he knew “we’re good with this guy.” He even joked about whether overtime was 5-on-5 or 3-on-3 before the final, historic extra frame in the Olympics that brought the gold back to the Unites State’s since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice."