MILAN – When the puck is dropped between the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team and Canada on Sunday for the gold-medal match of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, it will mark the precise 46th anniversary of the 1980 Miracle On Ice.
The Americans’ surprising victory over the Soviet Union on February 22, 1980, has endured for four decades as the most significant moment in American hockey history.
The Disney film Miracle has been repeatedly viewed by members of the 2026 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team during their youth hockey days, along with millions of others since its release on February 6, 2004.
Some players from this year’s team, including Zach Werenski, have even watched the recent Netflix documentary – Miracle: Boys of ’80 – which chronicles the complete journey of the 1980 team to the gold medal, culminating in a 4-2 win against Finland.
Mike Eruzione, captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, believes it is time for a new generation of hockey heroes to emerge, and there is no better occasion than Sunday (8:10 a.m. ET NBC | Peacock).
“I've been saying it for a long time. It is time,” Eruzione stated Saturday evening at the Starbucks Winter House. “This is the best hockey team we've ever put on the ice. The best men's team that has ever played. They're talented, they're gifted, they're skilled, they're young, which is good.
“My teammates and I want this moment. We want these guys to achieve something. It's time. What we did is what we did. It's over. It's ended. It was 40 something years ago. My grandkids need their hockey heroes, and it's going to be this team, I believe it.
“This is an opportunity for them to realize their dream. I've heard many of these players, and I know most of them talk about when they were kids that they watched Miracle. This isn't a miracle. This is a team that deserves to be in the gold-medal game, and a team that can win it.”
Time to get fired up for tomorrow #WinterOlympics Gold Medal Game. USA vs Canada. 8:10 a.m. ET on NBC. pic.twitter.com/VLgeWhlqz6
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 21, 2026
The U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team triumphed over Slovakia, 6-2, on Friday to secure a spot in the gold-medal match. The U.S. finished the preliminary round with a perfect 3-0 record to top Group C before defeating Sweden, 2-1, in a thrilling overtime quarterfinal.
Captain Auston Matthews greeted Eruzione earlier in the evening before dining with his teammates and listening to Eruzione’s brief speech to the team.
Matthews and Team USA are embracing the chance to secure the nation’s third gold medal in men’s hockey. The U.S. previously won gold at the 1960 Olympic Winter Games in Squaw Valley, California, and again in Lake Placid, New York, two decades later, with Eruzione and his teammates becoming iconic figures in American sports history.
“It's been a long time,” Matthews remarked. “It feels like it's been too long since USA Hockey has won a gold medal, and we are looking to change that.”
Mike Sullivan, head coach of the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, has extensively discussed with his team the history of USA Hockey and the rarity of achieving gold medal status.
"There have been two gold medals,” Sullivan noted after practice Saturday. “The first medal was in 1960, and there were 16 players on the roster. In 1980, there were 20 players on the roster, so when you think about it in those terms, there have been 36 American-born players who have gold medals.
"This group has an opportunity to become part of that legacy. But once the puck drops, it is a hockey game.”
Matthews is among four players tied for the team lead with three goals for the U.S. – along with Brady Tkachuk, Jack Hughes, and Tage Thompson.
“It's an amazing opportunity for our group tomorrow to go out and do something really special,” Matthews stated. “We know that we have the support from the whole country, and for kids, families, that play hockey and love the sport, they're going to be cheering us on.”
Brady and his brother, Matthew, gained recognition for their physical play and energy during last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
Brady is confident that the United States will give their all on the ice at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
“I know our group has been dreaming of this moment ever since we were kids,” Brady Tkachuk expressed. “To have an opportunity to win gold for all the people that helped us, all the former players that have paved the way for us. That's something that we're super excited about.”
Matthew Tkachuk and Quinn Hughes lead the U.S. with six assists. Matthew Tkachuk referred to the gold-medal match-up as must-see television.
"It's best on best,” Matthew Tkachuk remarked. “It's what every American and Canadian grows up watching, grows up caring about. This is the pinnacle of the sport. This is as good as it gets, and a rivalry that's as good as it gets. So there will be not one TV without this game on in the United States."
The U.S. has outscored its opponents 24-8, and Connor Hellebuyck has been impressive in goal, leading the Olympics with a .947 save percentage and a 1.23 goals-against-average.
Sunday will mark the third encounter between Canada and the United States in a gold-medal match. The last meeting was in 2010, when Zach Parise netted the game-tying goal against Canada with 24.4 seconds left before Sidney Crosby’s golden goal in overtime.
Matthews was 12 years old at that time.
Now 28, he is recognized as one of the top players in the National Hockey League.
“I remember waking up and watching the Olympics growing up and seeing all the great memories and, I was born after 1980, but you watch the movie, you see all the highlights and stuff like that.
“It's going to be intense. It's going to be very competitive and physical. These opportunities don't just come around very often. It's been 12 years since NHL players have participated in the Olympics, but obviously, they occur every four years. We’re going to lay it all out on the line and go have some fun and do our best to take care of business.”
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