Jack Hughes may have propelled the USA to Winter Olympics gold on Sunday but it came at a cost: His teeth.
The younger Hughes brother wrote himself into the history books when he scored the golden goal to see the Americans beat their bitter rivals, the Canadians, in a nail-biting overtime thriller in Milan.
As jubilant pandemonium unfolded around him, the American hero skated around the ice with the Star-Spangled Banner draped around his shoulders soaking in the historic moment alongside his older brother, defenseman Quinn Hughes.
And Jack’s beaming smile laid bare what he had sacrificed for the USA. A gold medal may now be draped around his neck, but some of his teeth were no longer in his mouth.
The forward had blood dripping down his chin as he scored the winning goal, having had a couple of his pearly whites chipped and knocked out earlier in the game.
During the third period, the 24-year-old was on the receiving end of a high stick from Sam Bennett, which knocked at least one of his front incisors out in a gruesome sight.
Winning goalscorer Jack Hughes lost his front teeth during the USA’s Olympic victory
The forward’s gappy smile was on display as he celebrated with his older brother, Quinn
But the gnarly injury didn’t hold the New Jersey Devils star back. 1:41 into overtime, Hughes’s left-handed shot flew past Canada’s goaltender, Jordan Binnington, sparking pandemonium on the ice.
It marked the United States men’s team’s first gold in hockey since the ‘Miracle on Ice’ in 1980.
And the price of that long-awaited gold medal was on full display as Hughes showed off his gappy smile during his postgame interview.
‘This is all about our country right now,’ an emotional Hughes said seconds after his goal, the blood still staining his lips. ‘I’m so proud to be American right now. I love my country, I love my teammates.
‘That’s American hockey right there. That’s a great Canadian team but this means so much. We are such a team. The USA brotherhood in this team is so strong. I cannot believe this. It could have gone either way tonight.’
The comments caught the attention of vice president JD Vance, who wrote on X: ‘Heart full of pride for his country and a few front teeth gone missing. That’s American hockey right there. Congratulations to Jack and everyone on Team USA for bringing home the gold.’
Hughes’s heroics sent American fans wild on social media, as they praised him and his toothy sacrifice.
Former American college football star and sports commentator Kirk Herbstreit posted: ‘ONLY in hockey can you lose a couple teeth earlier in a game and come back and hit the game winner! Jack Hughes is a BADASS and a HERO! Congrats boys! [Hellebuyck] will forever be a legend!’
The 24-year-old scored the historic golden goal as USA beat Canada for Olympic gold
A stunned Hughes raced over to his team to celebrate after clinching the gold medal
‘Jack Hughes missing multiple teeth, just relentlessly saying how much he loves America after winning the Olympic gold on a golden goal is as good as it gets. What a stud,’ another social media user posted on X.
‘That’s the best Jack Hughes interview he’s ever given — as the teeth are falling out of his face,’ a third wrote.
One fan demanded: ‘Put Jack Hughes’ teeth in the Hockey Hall of Fame.’
‘Jack Hughes gave two teeth for his nation. Patriot First Class,’ another gushed.
‘I can’t believe Jack Hughes got all of his teeth shattered out of his mouth on that high stick and then comes back to bury the gold medal overtime winner. Unbelievable stuff,’ added one fan.
Hughes will go down in history as the man who won it but the USA would have lost this game if it had not been for an extraordinary performance by goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who saved 41 of the 42 shots fired at him.
‘He was our best player tonight by a mile,’ Hughes said, and there won’t be anyone who disagrees.
It had been a dream start for the Americans. Matt Boldy put the US ahead exactly six minutes into the game with his team’s first shot of the gold medal showdown.
He got the puck from Auston Matthews, batted it to himself off his stick blade to maneuver between Canadian defensemen Devon Toews and Cale Makar and slid a backhand past goalie Jordan Binnington.
Hughes’s goal sparked pandemonium as his American teammates celebrated on the ice
In the second period, the momentum shifted and Canada started to take control of the game. They levelled the score with Cale Makar beating Connor Hellebuyck, the Canada pressure finally paying off with 1:44 left on the clock in the second period.
But the USA were desperately unlucky not to get back into the lead just a minute later.
A thunderous hit from Brock Faber hit the right and left post before rebounding out from the Canadian goal. It was desperately unlucky for the Americans, and very fortunate for Canada goalie Jordan Binnington.
But after 60 minutes of regulation time, the teams could not be split. Sudden death overtime it was. And in stepped Hughes.