US rejoices as NHL's return helps hockey basks in glow of Games' cauldron

MILAN, Italy -- With a wrist shot and a chipped grin, Jack Hughes wrote a Hollywood ending for the U.S. - and NHL - at the Olympics, with a 2-1 overtime win over Canada that served as a fitting finale to a men's ice hockey tournament that lived up to the hype.

The NHL could scarcely have written a better script when it allowed its players to compete in the Games for the first time in 12 years, as the dream match-up between Canada and the U.S. played out for the last gold up for grabs in Milan.

Exactly 46 years to the day since the "Miracle on Ice" win over the Soviets, fans packed the built-from-scratch Santagiulia arena to watch the U.S. write a new chapter in hockey lore.

"We're just so proud to be American and win," said Hughes.

Organizers had scrambled to finish the venue and took a rhetorical Zamboni to smooth over criticism of their shorter-than-expected playing surfaces.

But when the puck hit the ice and competition heated up, the controversy melted away as the blue-illuminated exterior of the arena became a glowing beacon for locals and out-of-towners.

Ice hockey quickly proved to be the hottest ticket in Milan, as the NHL's stars went from the tarmac to the practice rink with little time to spare, adapting to new rules and routines.

The pre-tournament favorites, Canada and the U.S., took off at pace, staying perfect through their respective group stages, but faced thrilling challenges in the knockout stages.

Three of the four men's quarterfinals went to overtime, as NHL teammates turned to foes with Olympic hardware on the line.

Canada, which won the last time the NHL allowed its players to compete at the Games in 2014, recovered from a 2-0 deficit against Finland in the semis, while Slovakia enjoyed a charmed run to the semifinals, a testament to the game's competitive level.

Finland claimed the bronze with a 6-1 win over Slovakia on Saturday, but the last word was left to the jubilant Americans.

"I know I'm going to speak on behalf of a lot of guys," said U.S. forward Brady Tkachuk, "This is the most fun two weeks that I've almost ever had in my life."

--Reuters, special to Field Level Media