MILAN (AP) 鈥� The work by to create the for the U.S. at the Winter Olympics started long before he shot the puck into the net.
After Connor McDavid was unable to finish his scoring chance early in the three-on-three overtime, Hughes collected the puck behind his own net at the other end of the rink, and Zach Werenski knew he had something bubbling.
鈥淜ind of a weird play,” Werenski said. 鈥淭hey had a chance, so usually when that happens in three-on-three, you can kind of take advantage of that and go the other way.鈥�
Hughes had a little give and go with Werenski. Canada鈥檚 Cale Makar, a two-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL鈥檚 best defenseman, had a chance to break it up early and couldn鈥檛 poke the puck away.
鈥淚 was kind of in a tough spot there,鈥� Makar said. 鈥淚 saw the puck bounce, and unfortunately it鈥檚 either you back it up and live to fight another day or try and make a play on it. But if you don鈥檛 get the puck, you鈥檝e got to get the man and unfortunately I didn鈥檛 get both. Just couldn鈥檛 get back.鈥�
Hughes followed Werenski up the ice. Werenski went right at Nathan MacKinnon, banking the puck off the 2023-24 NHL MVP.
鈥淚t happened quick,鈥� Werenski said. 鈥淚 really didn鈥檛 see much. It was kind of a broken play. I know we had three guys up in the rush. I think it hit off MacKinnon鈥檚 skate and came back to me.鈥�
But Werenski also knew Hughes was coming and turned around.
鈥淚 kind of just saw a white jersey on the far ice and just tried to throw it over there as quick as I could,鈥� Werenski said. 鈥淚 got it to the right guy. He鈥檚 been hot all tournament.鈥�
Hughes just needed to make sure he didn’t miss the net, something Canada did a lot in regulation. He instead fired it past goaltender Jordan Binnington, who had been solid throughout the tournament and again in the gold medal game.
“Overtime, anything can happen,鈥� Hughes said. “Who鈥檚 going to make the first mistake? Just a good play by Larks and Z getting up the ice. Obviously, Z found me.鈥�
Hughes鈥� goal came four days after in OT to win gold for the U.S. on the women鈥檚 side. This is the first time the U.S. has won men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 hockey titles at the same Olympics.
Captain Auston Matthews enjoyed a lot about the tournament, but there’s one top highlight that stands out.
鈥淲hen Jack scored,鈥� Matthews said. 鈥淭hat that moment’s going to stick with me for a very, very long time.鈥�
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