By MATT “PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN” CHANCE
Yes, this is the second hockey article in as many days. No, you didn’t accidentally subscribe to The Message Pitch Toronto page.
What took place Feb. 23, 2026 is worth writing about so here we go:
The gold medal game between Team USA and Team Canada lived up to its hype and over delivered.
This was not “The Miracle on Ice Part II,” but it was a monumental win for the United States in its own right.
The US jumped on the Canadians early. The Canadians absorbed the punch, adjusted and proceeded to outplay the Americans for the rest of the game. Let’s be honest; the Americans were fortunate to make it to overtime.
It was once said about the late Philadelphia Flyers goalie Bernie Parent that only Jesus saves more. The same can certainly be said about Connor Hellebuyck after his gutsy performance. If it weren’t for Hellebuyck, the US would have been staring up at the Canadians on the podium once again.
A day will come again where the Canadians will beat the US in hockey, but it wasn’t this day. Once the puck dropped in OT, the Americans did something the Canadians couldn’t: Seize the moment and capitalize.
Jack Hughes delivered the biggest goal of his young career, not just for America, but for all of us baby faces worldwide.
The image of his face and bloody smile after the game will be immortalized forever.
The beauty of sports, the Olympics and this game are there are so many life lessons that can be taken from competition.
Things like:
– You are never out of it, even when the odds look improbable.
– One man’s sacrifice can send ripples across an entire team and nation.
– Bars should open at 7am more often.
OK, that last one is a stretch, but the one lesson that stands out from yesterday’s game is this:
– You can’t hold down the American soul.
The country singer Aaron Watson sings this lyric, and it encapsulates the sights and events of yesterday.
Strangers in pubs cheered and embraced each other. Pee-wee hockey teams paused their games to celebrate with their bench. Differences set aside, soaking in something beautiful.
Then there was the honoring of the late Johnny Gaudreau, a former American hockey player who grew up with many of the players on this US team, passed away in tragic fashion in 2024.
The US team members celebrated their fallen brother by placing his jersey at center ice amid all the celebration. American players hoisted his kids and included them in their gold medal picture. The players ensured his legacy is not forgotten.
American, Canadian, or Cambodian, it didn’t matter. There were no dry eyes for that moment.
We don’t get political here at The Message Pitch, and it is OK to be frustrated with what is going on in this country. But events like these that remind us that pure American patriotism still lives in us all.
This team may have only been together for two weeks, but they’ve delivered a lasting impact.
So cheers to the US Men’s and Women’s hockey teams. Play “Free Bird” on a loop. You made your country proud. The US is the new hockey capital of the world.
