One of the biggest stories of the Winter Olympics was Team USA finally winning gold in the men's hockey tournament over Team Canada. It was a massive upset for Team USA, and they won in overtime, 2-1. It was the first time the hockey team had won the gold medal since the “Miracle on Ice” team in 1980. It was also a full-circle moment for main broadcaster Kenny Albert.
After the game, the main announcer, Kenny Albert, posted a picture of the time that he called the Women's Frozen Four with Ellen Weinberg-Hughes back in 2004. It represented a big full-circle moment: Albert was calling the games for Team USA, both Quinn Hughes and Jack Hughes were on the team, and Hughes scored the game-winning goal in overtime.
Weinberg competed internationally for the US women's national team at the 1992 Women's World Championship, capturing a silver medal while being named to the tournament's all-star team. She played collegiate hockey, lacrosse, and soccer for the University of New Hampshire.
Weinberg married Jim Hughes, who played hockey in college and later transitioned into coaching. Quinn and Jack Hughes were born into a hockey family, and it was only a matter of time before they started playing the game themselves.
Quinn is the older brother and plays for the Vancouver Canucks in the NHL, while Jack plays for the New Jersey Devils. Jack was Team USA's hero and lost a tooth because of it.
Jack Hughes had at least one front tooth chipped in the third period, when he took a high-sticking penalty from Sam Bennett, which resulted in a four-minute power play for the United States.
“My first thought was, draw the penalty,” Hughes said. “Actually, my first thought was that I looked at the ice and saw my teeth.”
Hughes' goal, less than two minutes into the extra period, was assisted by Zach Werenski, who wrestled the puck away from Canada's Nathan MacKinnon and sent a cross-ice feed to an open Hughes. It was the punctuation for a title drought that the United States ended. He also said he instantly thought of Megan Keller and her game-winning goal for the women's team.
“He's a freaking gamer. He's always been a gamer,” Jack's brother, U.S. defenseman Quinn Hughes, said. “Just mentally tough, been through a lot, loves the game. American hero.”
