Despite Canada starting its line of Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Macklin Celebrini, it was Jack Eichel, Matthew Tkachuk, and Brady Tkachuk who had the early jump in the Gold Medal Game, spending an extended shift in the Canadian zone. They had a lot of possession, but no shots as Canada survived the early pressure.
With the opening 90 seconds survived, the Canadians began to get involved in the game offensively, generating the first two shots on goal on solid scoring chances. Celebrini came the closest to scoring on a shot from the slot, but was unable to send it in. Celebrini, who didn’t score in the semifinal despite eight shots on goal, clearly hadn’t lost his confidence to fire the puck.
Canada may have registered the opening four shots of the game, but the United States recorded the first goal. Matt Boldy split right through the defensive pairing of Cale Makar and Devon Toews, avoiding the stick check of the latter to get on Jordan Binnington, and then a quick deke opened up the five-hole for him to send the puck through.
After the goal, Canada built up a sizable shot advantage, but the momentum was halted when Shea Theodore took a hooking penalty with three minutes to play. The ice tilted the other way for the final portion of the period, and the Americans had a late flurry to tie the shots at eight apiece before the intermission arrived.
Canada came out in the second period with the majority of the puck control looking to tie the game. A great chance came off the stick of Theodore that beat Connor Hellebuyck, but not the post behind him.
It was then the Americans’ turn to spend several shifts in the offensive zone, but the situation was turned about by a stretch pass to Connor McDavid that quickly shifted the play to the other end. He complained about a hook on the way to the net, but Canada did receive a power play moments later in the shift.
Already up one man, Canada was given a five-on-three as Charlie McAvoy hooked Cale Makar behind the net. The chance was squandered as the Canadians only managed two shots on goal with three American defenders on the ice.
Canada stayed undeterred despite the big missed opportunity, and, like the game versus Finland in the semifinals, just kept putting shots on goal as the opponent tried to defend a lead. With two minutes to go in the second period, Bo Horvat won an offensive-zone faceoff, Nick Suzuki won a battle on the wall to get the puck back to Toews, and Toews quickly moved it over to Makar. Makar had room to move deeper into the zone, and beat Hellebuyck with a far-side shot to tie the game.
The U.S. put together a late flurry trying to get the lead back. Brock Faber almost made that happen with a shot that ended up going off both posts and out with just seconds left on the clock.
That start of the third period looked a lot like the second period had for Team USA, spent in its own zone trying to defend the passing lanes as Canada worked the puck around. They were forced to ice the puck on a few occasions to break the pressure.
It looked like Toews had the tying goal on his stick, just needing to send it into the empty net he was facing from the top of the crease. But a last-second intervention by Hellebuyck resulted in an incredible stick save to keep the game tied.
Celebrini blocked a shot on a rare offensive-zone shift from the Americans and turned it into a breakaway. He was denied on both his initial chance and a follow-up on the rebound by Hellebuyck, who was doing all he could to hold his team in the game. With six minutes to play, Canada had a two-to-one shot ratio on its rival, but just the one goal.
Canada had another open net to hit to take the lead, this time with MacKinnon at the side of the net, but even the superstar forward looked nervous in the moment, and sent the puck off the side of the net.
It was then McAvoy’s turn to play net for a bit to help out his goaltender. A shot got by Hellebuyck and was headed under the crossbar, but the defenceman was there to block it just as it reached the plane of the goal line.
Racing in to get to a loose puck in the offensive zone, Sam Bennett was thrown off-balance by an American player and crashed hard into the boards. As he attempted to brace himself, his stick flew up into the face of Jack Hughes. After spending the majority of the final two periods in the own zone, the Americans received a four-minute power play with just six minutes left to play in regulation.
Hughes cut the power play short as he himself went off for high-sticking. There were 49 seconds of four-on-four to play before Canada received a late power play.
Once again, Canada couldn’t take advantage of the special-teams situation. The final minute played out, and the game headed to three-on-three overtime, set to be played in 20-minute periods until a golden goal was scored.
The first great chance in overtime went to the United States. Quinn Hughes got a one-timer with Jordan Binnington not quite in position, but a quick glove got just enough of the puck to slow it down and send it wide of the Canadian net.
Quinn’s brother didn’t miss the next chance the Americans received however, as a three-on-one developed from an over-aggressive pinch from Canada in the offensive zone, and Jack Hughes scored the golden goal for Team USA.
