The 11th gold broke the record set at the last Olympics on U.S. soil — in Salt Lake City in 2002, which has long stood as a turning point for a Winter sports program that had struggled over previous decades. Team USA took home 10 gold medals at those Games.
Follow the latest live news on all things Olympics 2026 closing ceremonies as the Winter Games winds down after a memorable run in Milano Cortina.
Jack Hughes’ overtime goal, which gave the United States its first Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980, drew an average audience of 26 million viewers on NBC and Peacock in the U.S., according to Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel ratings and Adobe Analytics digital data.
One of the best places to shop authentic gear online is Fanatics, which carries a broad selection of licensed Team USA hockey apparel and collectibles tied to the gold-medal win.
Team USA’s 2-1 OT Win Averaged a Combined 20.7 Million Viewers and 18.6 Million Live (8:15-11 a.m. ET) on NBC & Peacock, Marking the Most-Watched Pre-9 a.m. ET Sporting Event on Record in U.S.