{"id":485399,"date":"2026-02-23T08:57:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T08:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/485399\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T08:57:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T08:57:10","slug":"us-goalie-connor-hellebuyck-proved-his-mettle-against-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/485399\/","title":{"rendered":"US goalie Connor Hellebuyck proved his mettle against Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"

MILAN \u2014 Team USA\u2019s gold-medal win will be remembered by all for Jack Hughes\u2019s overtime goal to seal the 2-1 victory over Canada<\/a>. The only reason they were in that position was Connor Hellebuyck.<\/p>\n

The Winnipeg Jets goaltender has won three Vezina trophies as the NHL\u2019s best goalie and last year was named the league\u2019s most valuable player<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But despite the accolades, questions remained. Could he handle the big moments? Hellebuyck has struggled in the last three NHL postseasons, his .918 save percentage dropping to .870. When he was chosen as No. 1 goalie for the American squad at the Olympics, plenty wondered if he might falter once again, when the lights were brightest.<\/p>\n

\"ConnorConnor Hellebuyck’s stunning stick save on Devon Toews\u2019s shot in the third period might go down as one of the greatest goaltending moments in US Olympic hockey history.Jared C. Tilton\/Getty<\/p>\n

The 32-year-old UMass Lowell product did no such thing. <\/p>\n

On Sunday, he turned in his best performance yet, allowing just one goal on 42 Canadian shots to carry the United States to its first gold medal since 1980.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHe was our best player by a mile,\u201d said Millis native Matt Boldy, who had a highlight-reel moment of his own with his first-period goal. \u201dPeople like to have their opinions about him, but if you don\u2019t have an opinion that he\u2019s the best goalie in the world now, then I think you\u2019re thinking wrong. He\u2019s an absolute stud.\u201d<\/p>\n

Boldy wasn\u2019t the only teammate raving about Hellebuyck. On the NBC broadcast after the game, Hughes called him the team\u2019s MVP. Vincent Trocheck said he was their \u201cbackbone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToday even more so than the rest of the tournament,\u201d Trocheck said. \u201cHe saved our lives there a couple times in the third. He was unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n

His stunning stick save on Devon Toews\u2019s shot in the third period might go down as one of the greatest goaltending moments in US Olympic hockey history.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a game like this? And to do it multiple times?\u201d Trocheck remarked. \u201cHe saved our [expletive] two or three times, at least.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bruins star Charlie McAvoy had a simpler way to describe it: \u201cHe channeled his Jimmy Craig<\/a> tonight.\u201d <\/p>\n

To be compared with the goaltender of the last American team to win gold is fitting. Hellebuyck finishes these Olympics with a tournament-best .956 save percentage. He allowed just six goals on 137 shots in five games. (The Bruins\u2019 Jeremy Swayman played Team USA\u2019s second game, a 6-3 win over Denmark<\/a>, but Hellebuyck handled the others.) He was named the tournament\u2019s best goaltender, which is hardly a surprise.<\/p>\n

He earned this gold medal, that\u2019s for sure.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels good,\u201d he said with the hardware around his neck. \u201cI might not take it off.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was clear as he spoke with the media that he wasn\u2019t thinking much about vindication, about silencing the voices who say he can\u2019t deliver when the moment matters most.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose critics, they can keep writing. But they don\u2019t understand goaltending. They definitely don\u2019t understand my game,\u201d Hellebuyck said. \u201cI know what I\u2019m putting forward. I know what I\u2019m building. These are the moments that prove it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prove it he did.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re going to be talking about this performance for generations,\u201d Matthew Tkachuk said. \u201cIf we don\u2019t have him, we don\u2019t win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com<\/a>. Follow her on Instagram at @katiemac.sports<\/a>.<\/p>\n