United States goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck (37) blocks a shot by Canada's Macklin Celebrini (17) during the third period of the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on Sunday.Carolyn Kaster/The Associated Press
Devon Toews was staring at a wide-open net. Connor Hellebuyck had other ideas.
The United States goaltender reached back with his paddle to rob the Canadian defenceman of a surefire go-ahead goal early in the third period – one of several jaw-dropping saves in a gold-medal showing to remember.
“They’re going to be talking about this for generations,” U.S. forward Matthew Tkachuk said. “It’s going to go down as one of the best goaltending performances of all time – it has to.”
Hellebuyck made 41 saves, many of them otherworldly, to backstop the Americans to a podium-topping 2-1 overtime victory over a high-octane Canadian lineup Sunday at the Milan Cortina Winter Games.
U.S. coach Mike Sullivan called Hellebuyck’s effort heroic. Defenceman Zach Werenski said it was unlike anything he had ever witnessed.
“That was the greatest performance I’ve ever seen from a goalie,” Werenski said. “When there was a breakdown for us, he was there, and you need that in these moments. It wasn’t the prettiest from us, but we found a way to get it done. And Helly’s a big reason why.”
Hellebuyck didn’t bite on a flurry of dekes as tournament MVP Connor McDavid barrelled in alone on a second-period breakaway. In the third, he turned aside budding superstar Macklin Celebrini on another clearcut chance.
The Winnipeg Jets netminder also stood tall during 93 seconds of 5-on-3 play midway through the second period – the best penalty-killer on a unit that went a perfect 18-for-18 in the Olympic tournament.
American players all but admitted they had no business walking out of Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena with gold medals around their necks Sunday if not for their goalie.
“Stole the game for us,” forward Tage Thompson said. “Canada is an unbelievable team and they had a lot of great chances, and Helly kept us in it … those saves were outrageous.
“When you see Helly stand on his head like that, it just relaxes you on the bench and you know he’s rock solid back there, so you can just relax and go to play.”
Defenceman Charlie McAvoy likened Hellebuyck to the netminder who backstopped the U.S. during the underdog “Miracle on Ice” run in 1980 – the last time the American men’s hockey team captured Olympic gold.
“He channelled his Jimmy Craig tonight, he was unbelievable,” McAvoy said. “The one on Toews in the third, I’m yelling down the bench, ‘That’s the one!’
“Just said, ‘Remember that,’ and then he made a couple more … He’s the best player in the league and we had him on our side, so we’re awfully lucky.”
U.S. star Quinn Hughes – brother of golden-goal hero Jack Hughes – said he saw Hellebuyck asleep on the team bus before their quarter-final and took it as a sign.
“Since that moment, I was like, ‘This guy, he’s going to be good,’” Hughes said. “You saw the looks they had. Canada is an insane team out there. The game’s never been faster, it’s never been more skilled, and they got some special players, Hall of Famers, all over their team.
“Hellebuyck was an absolute maniac.”
Toews said he hadn’t seen the replay of his golden opportunity, but tipped his cap.
“If he saved it, that’s a great save,” he said. “I don’t even know how Mitch [Marner] put it on my tape, I just felt it there and tried to shovel it in, and yeah, it didn’t go in. We had five or six of those kind of looks tonight.”
Hellebuyck entered the tournament with lingering questions about his big-game ability, after his numbers plummeted well below his stellar regular-season standards in Winnipeg’s past three playoff runs.
Canada goalie Jordan Binnington had also out-duelled him a year ago, when the northern neighbour won the 4 Nations Face-Off. Not this time.
“Those critics, they can keep writing,” Hellebuyck said. “They don’t understand goaltending. They definitely don’t understand my game. I know what I’m putting forward. I know what I’m building.
“These are the moments that prove it – not that I need to – but these are the moments I enjoy, and this is why I play the game.”
Only Cale Makar solved him, wiring a wrist shot in the second period.
“I don’t think we can look at this game and say one goalie out-duelled the other,” Canada coach Jon Cooper said. “One goalie got more work than the other goalie did … Hellebuyck made a heck of a save. He didn’t give up on a play on [Toews] and stopped it. Good on him for that competitive nature.”
Fans back in Canada woke up early to catch the highly anticipated game, filling living rooms and pubs for watch parties from coast to coast. Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena — the 19,000-seat rink of the NHL’s Maple Leafs — opened its doors to spectators at 7 a.m. ET.
The fervour spread to the “Blues Canal” sports bar in Milan’s Navigli district, where Canadians fans have celebrated in packs at the unofficial “Canada House” over the past two weeks.
But on Sunday, Hellebuyck spoiled the party.
”He was a hero,” Sullivan said. “A high-stakes player in a high-stakes environment. That’s when players build their legacy. Connor certainly did that tonight.”