US men’s hockey stars reflect on American pride after bringing home Olympic gold

The U.S. men's hockey squad made past with its 2-1 overtime triumph implicit Team Canada astatine the Milan Cortina Olympics successful the golden medal crippled connected Sunday. 

Jack Hughes deed the aureate extremity to present the U.S. its archetypal men's hockey golden medal since the 1980 "Miracle connected Ice" team.

"We merit it," Matthew Tkachuk during an exclusive sitdown connected Fox News Channel's "Special Report" said astir the whirlwind solemnisation helium and his teammates person experienced successful caller days.

"We truly pridefulness ourselves connected being existent Americans that would doing thing it takes for this state and to win. And I'm truthful arrogant of the guys and I'm truthful arrogant to beryllium capable to vie with them."

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Brady Tkachuk (7) of Team United States and Matthew Tkachuk (19) of Team United States observe aft their crippled against Team Canada during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games astatine Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena connected Feb. 22, 2026. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)

Team USA spoke with Fox News soon aft visiting President Donald Trump astatine the White House.

"You ne'er truly imagination of being successful this position, but to stock this (Matthew), but besides my 23 different brothers … wouldn't alteration it for the world," Brady Tkachuk said astir the acquisition of playing alongside his member Matthew successful the golden medal game.

"To beryllium capable to correspond this state and each (the) astonishing radical and millions of Americans that were backmost home, we felt their love. We felt their support."

Team USA goaltender and Winnipeg Jets prima Connor Hellebuyck discussed his modulation backmost to Canada for NHL competition.

"Mentally, this is going to beryllium hard to get backmost successful it. I request astatine slightest 24 hours to wrapper my encephalon astir this due to the fact that this has been not lone the astir amusive acquisition of my life, but you conscionable spot the pridefulness successful this country," Hellebuyck said. 

Goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck of United States celebrates winning the golden medal during the Ice Hockey Men's Gold Medal Game lucifer betwixt Canada and USA connected time sixteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games astatine Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena connected Feb. 22, 2026 successful Milan, Italy. (Andrea Branca/Eurasia Sport Images)

"It's bigger than the crippled of hockey …. I cognize my metropolis loves maine successful Winnepeg, and I'm truly looking guardant to trying to bring immoderate joyousness backmost to that metropolis arsenic good and hopefully chasing a (Stanley) Cup."

Canada has historically been the astir ascendant Olympic hockey squad successful history, with a world-best 9 golden medals. Sunday's triumph besides avenged a nonaccomplishment to Canada successful the NHL's 4 Nations Face Off accumulation past year.

"The 2nd the boots deed the crushed backmost present successful the U.S., we could consciousness however galore millions of radical were tuning in, supporting america and conscionable loving however we represent," Matthew added astir the outpouring of. "We were benignant of America's Team' determination for a bit, and we could consciousness it crossed the Atlantic (Ocean). We conscionable admit everybody's support. It was genuinely astonishing conscionable to correspond the top state successful the satellite astatine that stage."

Dylan Larkin and Zach Werenski appeared connected Fox News Channel’s "Fox & Friends" connected Tuesday morning, hours aft celebrating their golden medal triumph against Canada successful Miami. The 2 opened up connected what it meant to them to correspond the Stars and Stripes.

The United States celebrates aft winning the men's crystal hockey golden medal crippled during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games astatine Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. (James Lang/Imagn Images)

"I deliberation a batch of america played astatine the U.S. National Team Development Program … When we were there, you get to enactment the jersey connected each time for 2 years, earlier you’re drafted. We spell done training. We’re not subject by immoderate means but they enactment america done immoderate training, and they truly instill successful you immoderate pride," Larkin said. "Once you spell done that, you instrumentality the jersey disconnected … and each clip you instrumentality it off, for maine astatine least, I don’t cognize the adjacent clip I’m going to enactment it on."

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"So, each clip I get the accidental to correspond the United States of America, I enactment that jersey on, I’m each in. I emotion doing it, and it’s conscionable thing special. I could spell connected each time astir however large our state is. Just being location and seeing our friends and family, it’s conscionable special."

Trump invited the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey squad to Tuesday night's State of the Union address.

Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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