The United States won gold medals in both men's and women's ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime in each final while remaining unbeaten throughout the tournaments. The victories marked the first time the U.S. swept the hockey golds, sparking celebrations that intertwined with political elements. Discussions also arose about the 3-on-3 overtime format used in the Games.
The U.S. women's team secured its third Olympic gold with Megan Keller's overtime goal against Canada on February 19, 2026. Captain Hilary Knight emphasized unity through sport, stating, “We’re America’s team in the best way and through positivity and trying to inspire through sport... we are proud Americans and there’s great unity that we can find through sport together.” The team wrapped themselves in American flags during the ceremony and largely avoided political commentary, noting they did not notice Vice President JD Vance's attendance at preliminary games.
In the men's final on February 22, Jack Hughes scored at 1:41 of 3-on-3 overtime to clinch a 2-1 victory over Canada, the U.S.'s first men's gold since 1980. The celebration included tributes to the late Johnny Gaudreau, with players displaying emotional responses. The team received a speakerphone call from President Donald Trump, who invited them to the State of the Union address and joked about also inviting the women to avoid impeachment, prompting laughter that some later called "distasteful." Most of the men's team visited the White House on Tuesday, arriving at the Capitol amid chants of “U-S-A!”
The women's team, however, did not receive a presidential call and learned of the invitation after the men's game. They declined due to pre-arranged travel logistics, with a potential visit postponed until after the PWHL season in late May. The women traveled commercially through Atlanta due to weather, while the men flew charter to Miami and then on an Air Force plane to Washington.
Canada coach Jon Cooper criticized the 3-on-3 format post-gold medal game, saying, "You take four players off the ice, hockey's not hockey anymore," though he later acknowledged all teams knew the rules. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly noted the league respects tournament rules despite preferring 5-on-5 for playoffs. The 2026 Olympics featured five men's overtime games with no shootouts, including the longest at 3:27 when Quinn Hughes scored against Sweden. The IIHF is evaluating the format ahead of the 2030 Games.
Both teams bonded in the athletes' village, with Florida Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk stating, “We loved the women’s team... so proud that we had a clean sweep of gold medals.” A doctored White House TikTok video falsely attributed disparaging comments to Brady Tkachuk, who denied the audio. The PWHL reported boosts in ticket sales, merchandise, and social media following the Games.
