Despite having what may be the most talented roster in the history of Olympic hockey, Team Canada head coach Jon Cooper is blaming the overtime rules for his squad’s Gold Medal Game loss to the United States.
Team USA beat their rivals to the north by a score of 2-1 in an extra period on Sunday, marking the first time they beat the Canadians in the knockout stages of Olympic hockey.
To accomplish this, the Americans won in a 3-on-3 overtime period. This has become common practice in the NHL as a solution to reduce the number of games decided by a shootout.
However, in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, 5-on-5 overtime is the rule. This is due to the importance of the circumstances surrounding the game. Last winter’s 4 Nations Faceoff also required 5v5 overtime.
So, after the defeat, Cooper bemoaned the rules – despite having the superior roster and icing what was by far the best 3v3 unit in the entire tournament in Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.
‘You take four players off the ice, now hockey’s not hockey anymore,’ Cooper said, via The Hockey News.
Canada coach Jon Cooper was not happy with playing 3-on-3 overtime in the gold medal game
Jack Hughes (L) scored the game-winning goal to give Team USA its first gold since 1980
Cooper complained that the 3v3 system made the game ‘not hockey anymore’
‘There’s a reason overtime and shootouts are in play — it’s all TV-driven to end games, so it’s not a long time. There’s a reason why it’s not in the Stanley Cup Final or playoffs.’
Taking two players off the ice from each side opens up the game more by creating more free space on the playing surface.
It was in this free space where New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes took advantage of Makar failing to cover him off in time before slotting a low wrist shot that went through the five-hole of goalie Jordan Binnington.
Fans on social media mocked Cooper’s complaints, calling him a sore sport after tasting defeat.
‘He would be completely fine with it had they won,’ wrote one user on X.
Another said, ‘The losing side never likes anything that they can blame. Both sides had to experience it. The USA team made the play and scored the game winner. Your team fought valiantly. Just say congratulations to the winner and move on coach.’
One comment said, ‘You have Makar, McDavid, and MacKinnon on the ice for a 3-on-3 and then claim it’s unfair? Give me a break.’
‘I started to feel bad for basking in Canada’s misery yesterday…then Jon Cooper and Nathan MacKinnon went full on crybaby and I immediately stopped feeling bad for those sore losers!’ posted sports talk radio host Jared Stillman.
Hughes’ goal came against a Canada roster that may be the best in Olympic hockey history
It’s the first time that the Americans were able to defeat the Canadians in the knockout stage
Hughes’ goal earned the United States their first gold medal since 1980 after losing the 2002 and 2010 gold medal games to Canada.
In that 2010 game, overtime was decided with a period of 4-on-4 play. Sidney Crosby scored the golden goal to grant Canada a record-setting (and since surpassed) eighth Olympic gold medal.
In these Olympics, Canada won a 3-on-3 overtime game against Czechia in the quarterfinals to advance.
But their silver medal defeat marks the first time that they’ve lost a Gold Medal Game in Olympic history.
Multiple missed chances from the likes of MacKinnon, McDavid and Macklin Celebrini led to the overtime. Makar scored the only Canadian goal to even the game up after Matthew Boldy put the US up 1-0 just six minutes into the contest.
Meanwhile, Canada’s vaunted forward unit was stopped time after time by Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck – who saved 41 of the 42 shots he faced to lift the United States to their first men’s hockey gold medal since 1980.