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President Donald Trump announced during his State of the Union address that Team USA men’s hockey goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom after anchoring the team’s gold medal victory in the Milan Cortina Olympics.
During the gold medal game victory over Canada, Hellebuyck collected 41 saves to help keep the game tied at 1-1, forcing overtime.
Jack Hughes scored the game-winner past Canada’s netminder, Jordan Binnington.
“It’s a dream come true,” Hellebuyck said, via NBC, after the game. “We grinded, we battled, and this was some of the best and most fun hockey that I’ve ever played.”
Hellebuyck somehow stopped a wide open Devon Toews’ shot in front of his crease with only his stick, turning quickly with his right hand to stop the puck and keeping the game tied in the second period. Without that save, and many others, the result may have been different.
Canada’s Mitch Marner had the puck in the offensive zone when he threw it toward Hellebuyck’s net, where defenseman Devon Toews was right in front. Perhaps nine out of 10 times, Toews scores in this scenario, but Hellebuyck somehow had the wherewithal to throw out his stick as a last-ditch effort for the save.
Instead of the puck staying down on the ice, Toews lifted it just a bit and Hellebuyck’s paddle was right in the away to thwart the goal attempt. At the time, the score was 1-1, and it remained that way through the end of the second period and throughout the third before overtime was needed.
After the game, Hellebuyck was skating around the ice alone with an American flag on his back, as the crowd went roaring for the man they knew was a hero just as much as Hughes in the victory.
United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth jokingly gave his old title, Secretary of Defense, to Hellebuyck for his performance.
“Now we have a Secretary of War…and a Secretary of Defense!” Hegseth said over the post showing Hellebuyck’s incredible efforts.
Hellebuyck helped the U.S. make history as the first team since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” squad to win Olympic gold. Jack Hughes scored the overtime goal to strike gold in Milan, and it’s been a party ever since for Team USA.
Canada has historically been the most dominant Olympic hockey team in history, with a world-best nine gold medals. Sunday’s win also avenged a loss to Canada in the NHL’s 4 Nations Face Off exhibition last year.
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The U.S. finished with 33 total medals, including a record 12 golds in the Winter Olympics.
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
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