The United States Men’s Ice Hockey team took center stage in Milan after taking down Team Canada in a thrilling matchup. While Jack Hughes emerged as the star performer for scoring the winner, goaltender Connor Hellebuyck also played a commendable role with his unbreakable defense. Besides gaining attention from the athletic world, the 32-year-old was also honored by a political admiration. This was surprisingly carried out by the US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth.

“Now we have a Secretary of War…and a Secretary of Defense!” Hegseth said, responding to a post that highlighted the goaltender’s efforts.

The comment from the bureaucrat may have sounded overhyped, but it carried real weight after a night like that.

Connor Hellebuyck did more than just win a gold medal. He delivered a performance that will be remembered for decades. He turned away 41 shots in the 2-1 overtime victory over Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Every save felt bigger than the last as Canada pushed hard, late in the game, but Hellebuyck stayed calm and focused.

His commendable defense also drew comparisons to Jim Craig’s famous game in 1980 against the Soviet Union. Craig stopped 39 shots in the “Miracle on Ice,” a win that became one of the greatest moments in American sports history. Hellebuyck’s night now belongs in that same conversation.

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His steadiness during the gold medal match was also applauded by teammates who remembered a moment when he dozed off on the team bus. The instance, according to Quinn Hughes, occurred before the semifinal game against Sweden. “He fell asleep on the bus on the way to the Sweden game (semifinal),” Hughes said. “I was like, ‘We’re good with this guy. He’s very relaxed.’ Since that moment, I knew he was going to be good.”

However, it seemed like the travel nap helped boost his confidence. The goalie stopped 28 of 29 shots in that game and carried that form straight into the gold medal match. However, this wasn’t the only comment from his teammates as they, too, were quick enough to acknowledge the 32-year-old’s efforts.

Jack Hughes applauds Connor Hellebuyck’s commendable defense in the gold medal matchup

After the final whistle blew in Milan, the focus quickly turned to the man in the net. Jack Hughes, besides his own efforts to propel the team to a commendable win, didn’t back down from praising Connor Hellebuyck after the United States defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Unlike the young college team that shocked the world at the 1980 Winter Olympics, this American squad was loaded with NHL stars. However, despite that, the squad still had to lean heavily on their goaltender in the gold medal game. Canada controlled much of the play and fired 42 shots on goal. However, not much of it mattered as Hellebuyck stopped 41 of them. This not only drew international recognition but also earned praise from Hughes.

“This is all about our country right now,” Hughes said. “I love the U.S.A. I love my teammates. It’s unbelievable. The USA Hockey brotherhood is so strong. “Unbelievable game by Hellebuyck. He was our best player by a mile.”

The victory carried a greater value because Canada had dominated international tournaments for years and had beaten the U.S. at the 4 Nations Face-Off the year before. The Americans, backed by Hellebuyck, had to go through their biggest rival to earn the gold medal.