Team USA won its first men’s hockey gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games in 46 years on Sunday when Jack Hughes slotted home the game-winner in overtime.
It was a cinematic moment for the United States of America, which, 16 years earlier, lost to Canada in overtime in the Vancouver Games behind the magic of Sidney Crosby.
Canada controlled a majority of the game beginning in the second period, and the Americans held on long enough behind goalie Connor Hellebuyck to push the game to the extra period, where they snatched the victory.
While some would call it a hard-fought victory and perseverance, others are claiming other possible reasons for the Americans winning the gold medal.
One Canadian sports writer believes that something mystical might be the key to why Team USA won to close out the Olympics.
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“It was almost as if supernatural forces were at play,” Sportsnet writer Luke Fox penned about the gold medal clash. “Storming Team USA’s net in hungry waves, Canada was all over the Americans, first tying the airtight gold medal game, then pressing their nemeses like paninis, wanting what’s golden.”
At times, it felt like every small bounce went the United States’ way. Although much of that can be attributed to Hellebuyck’s phenomenal play, there were some instances in which he would have had no chance of stopping the shot if the Canadians had gotten the puck on target.
Most notably, Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon late in the third period that had a wide open net that he missed.
Earlier in the tournament, the best player for Team USA throughout the Olympics, Quinn Hughes, spoke about his possible connection with the spirits.
“Sometimes you hear some funny stuff out there, but yeah,” he said. “As the people say, I’m usually seeing ghosts, so I’m usually focused on myself.”
Maybe next time, Canada needs to be more in tune with the ghosts on the ice if they want to walk away with the gold medal.
