"The United States men's Olympic hockey team won the gold medal, outlasting Canada in a thriller that will not be forgotten for decades to come. This wasn't a miracle. Forget the lame 1980 comparisons. Al Michaels doesn't need to ask if you believe in anything. What happened on the ice wasn't a bunch of plucky college kids slaying a Soviet dragon. No, this was the coronation of a modern puck superpower."
"The Americans didn't just snap a 46-year gold medal drought; they officially opened a window of dominance that should terrify the rest of the world all the way to the 2030 Games in the French Alps. Getting to that podium, however, was a spectacularly frustrating watch. The U.S. entered this tournament with an unprecedented roster pool. So, naturally, the American brain trust overthought it."
"By the time Sunday rolled around, a reckoning felt inevitable, at least to me. Sure, Canada was missing Sidney Crosby, throwing some real wrenches in their gears, but they still boasted a terrifying armada. I was awake far earlier than 5 a.m., bleary-eyed and clutching a Diet Mountain Dew, worried sick about Cale Makar somehow an afterthought heading into this game and the Canadian monster trio of Macklin Celebrini, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon."
The United States men's Olympic hockey team captured the gold medal in Milan after a dramatic final against Canada, ending a 46-year Olympic gold drought. The victory signals the start of a multi-year window of U.S. dominance potentially extending through the 2030 Games. The U.S. roster emphasized grit, producing uneven and often ugly wins earlier in the tournament as officials overthought roster construction. Canada lacked Sidney Crosby but still fielded elite talent including Cale Makar, Macklin Celebrini, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon and posed a serious threat throughout the final. The U.S. did not outplay Canada for the full 60 minutes but prevailed in a tense finish.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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