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As expected, Team Canada was not happy to be on the ice receiving their silver medals in Milan after Jack Hughes’ overtime winner to give Team USA gold.
Canadian star Nathan MacKinnon made an interesting comment after the game that sparked debate on social media.
“You have to judge who was the better team today,” the Team Canada assistant captain and Colorado Avalanche star said via the Canadian Press.
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Nathan MacKinnon #29 of Team Canada looks dejected after the men’s gold medal game between Canada and the United States on Day 16 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
MacKinnon apparently suggested that Canada was the better team despite the result. Sure, they outshot the USA, 42-28, and they certainly had more control of the puck through the three periods in Milan.
It even took some heroics from Team USA goalie Connor Hellebuyck to keep the game tied at one goal apiece, including a miraculous save on Devon Toew’s point-blank chance in the second period.
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But there were also a couple of mistakes from Canada, and MacKinnon had a big one with 10:50 left in the third period. Hellebuyck was completely beaten when the puck was swung over to MacKinnon, who had a wide open net to work with. All he had to do was put it between the pipes and Canada would have taken a 2-1 lead.
Instead, his shot hit the short side of the net and Team USA got a break as one of the best goal scorers in the world was denied by his own foul. It’s one of those moments where MacKinnon might think, “What if?” considering how the game ended.
Nathan MacKinnon, Connor Hellebuyck during the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics Cortina 2026 Figure Hockey Final match Canada vs USA at Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan on February 22, 2026. (Photo Olimpik/NurPhoto)
With both sides tied after three periods, the Olympic overtime rules are the rules of the NHL’s regular season – 3-on-3 sudden death hockey. For Team USA, this format benefited them given what happened in the second and third periods, when Canada handled them at both ends of the ice.
But MacKinnon made another serious mistake in overtime when he didn’t seem to expect defenseman Zach Weresnki to fly into him in the offensive zone after Hughes pushed the puck up in Canada’s zone.
MacKinnon could have charged the puck harder, but Werenski came up with it instead and tossed it to Hughes, who buried it past Jordan Binnington for the golden goal.
Team Canada silver medalist Nathan MacKinnon looks dejected during the medal ceremony after the men’s gold medal match between Canada and the United States on Day 16 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
So while statistics and other metrics may say Team Canada was the better team on the ice, that only matters in key moments. And of course the scoreboard at the final whistle.
As Team USA celebrates their first Olympic gold medal since the 1980 Miracle-on-Ice in Lake Placid, Team Canada can only go back to their respective cities and think about what ultimately went wrong.
