'Miracle on Ice' USA Fans Hype Gold Medal vs. Canada on Same Date of Historic Olympic Win vs. USSR

Feb. 22 is quite the day in United States hockey history.

The American men's team defeated Canada 2-1 in Sunday's gold-medal game thanks to Jack Hughes' winning goal in overtime, which came exactly 46 years after the famous Miracle on Ice gold-medal win for the United States against the USSR in 1980.

There was another connection to that Miracle on Ice team, as captain Mike Eruzione from that 1980 squad offered this year's team some advice prior to Sunday's contest.

"Just leave it all out there," 2026 United States captain Auston Matthews revealed when discussing what Eruzione said, per Michael Russo and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. "This is what you play for, what we came here for. We don't get these moments all the time. The Olympics comes around every four years. So you want to embrace it … and leave it all on the ice."

Fans had plenty of reactions to the latest triumph and the connection:

There are obvious differences from the Miracle on Ice team, not the least of which is who was on the ice.

That 1980 team was composed largely of amateur players and facing the powerhouse of the sport in the Soviet Union. In fact, the Soviet Union won the gold medal in the 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984 and 1988 Games and was overwhelmingly favored in 1980 as well.

Yet the American underdogs stunned the international sporting world with a 4-3 win that included the game-tying and go-ahead goals in the final period.

That was the semifinals, but the United States defeated Finland in the ensuing gold-medal game.

This year's team was made up of NHL stars who are accustomed to competing against the NHL players on Canada's side. While dealing with Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and others is anything but easy, this year's United States team was a group of NHL professionals.

Still, the Canadians largely controlled the game but were unable to take the lead thanks to the individual brilliance of American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.

Hellebuyck stopped 41 of the 42 shots he faced, including multiple breakaways and point-blank chances, and gave his teammates an opportunity to win it in the end.

And they did just that with Hughes scoring the winner in overtime to secure the first gold medal for the United States in men's hockey since the Miracle on Ice.