VOORHEES, N.J. – The instant Jack Hughes’ historic goal entered the Canadian net Sunday, Trevor Zegras jumped out of his chair, and not only because Team USA had just won Olympic gold.
Zegras and Hughes are best buddies. Zegras was one of a half-dozen American Flyers glued to the locker room TV monitors at the Flyers Training Zone Sunday morning as Canada and USA battled for Olympic supremacy.
The game went to 3-on-3 overtime, tied at 1. Somehow the Americans developed a 3-on-1, Zach Werenski setting up Hughes for the winner.
That little play ended 46 years of American Olympic hockey frustration, much of it at the hands of Canadian players. Zegras was all smiles when the Flyers ended their practice and he spoke with reporters.
“That’s my good buddy you’re talking about!” Zegras said. “Overtime winner, so pretty crazy. It’s the coolest thing ever.”
Zegras hails from Bedford, N.Y. Hughes, who plays for the New Jersey Devils, comes from Orlando, Fla. The two first met in the United States development system. Zegras also got to know Jack’s brother, Quinn, an outstanding defenseman on the Minnesota Wild and a key player for the U.S. in the tournament.
What was it like watching his friends capture glory?
“It was sweet,” Zegras said. “I kind of grew up with Jack in the U.S. program. I mean they played so great. For him to get the winner was cool.”
Jack Hughes is an important part of the Devils’ lineup. It came as no surprise that New Jersey slumped when he missed a couple months due to injury this season
“He’s so good,” Zegras said. “I’m glad he had such a great tournament and capped it off with the greatest USA hockey goal we’ve seen in however many years, so pretty amazing.”
Zegras said the key to stopping Canada was putting the brakes on the top line of Connor McDavid, Macklin Celebrini and Nathan MacKinnon. Credit the Tkachuk brothers, Matthew and Brady, for some of that stellar defense.
“I don’t think they got on the board, those big three on the top line, which is pretty impressive,” Zegras remarked. “The penalty kill was a hundred percent the whole tournament. They killed off a pretty big five-on-three. That was outstanding.”
Other American Flyers had similar reactions to USA’s first gold medal since Lake Placid in 1980. Cam York, an Anaheim, California native, had more than a cheering interest in the game: He won $100 off Canadian Tyson Foerster on the outcome.
“It was one of the best games I’ve ever watched,” he said. “Just the pace of it, all those Grade A chances. The goalies (USA’s Connor Hellebuyck, Canada’s Jordan Binnington) played incredible.
“For USA Hockey, it’s huge, been a long time coming. I’m just really happy for all those guys who were able to beat that team. And I won a hundred bucks off ‘Tys’ so I was pretty happy about that.”
York’s defense partner on the Flyers, Travis Sanheim, had to settle for silver, so it wasn’t all confetti in the air after this one.
“We wanted Sanny to play really well and he did,” York said. “Obviously tough for him to lose that but happy for the Americans, too.”
Nick Seeler, a Minnesota product, looked and sounded like he just won the lottery.
“Oh, boy, what a game!” he gushed. “Spectacular game. Two of the best teams ever going at it. USA came out on top and it was awesome.”
One of Hughes’ notable postgame quotes that he was, “so proud to be an American.” Seeler concurred.
“That’s one of the things I’m most proud of,” he said. “Those guys on that team represented America the right way. They’re proud to be there representing their country. I think if you’re at the Olympic Games representing the United States of America, you should be proud. They did us proud.”
Noah Cates, who grew up in Stillwater, Minnesota, couldn’t have been happier.
“It’s definitely cool that they got it done on the biggest stage,” he said. “It’s pretty sweet. I’m happy for Sanny, too, to get that experience.”
Christian Dvorak, a native of Illinois, noted the number of years it’s been since USA won the gold, which made it all the more special.
“It was amazing,” he said. “A lot of fun to watch. It’s been a while since Americans have won so it was a big one. Hellebuyck was unbelievable in that game. Made some key saves. America came through. Fun to chirp the Canadians in here.”
Flyers assistant coach Todd Reirden, an Illinois native who has overseen practices with head coach Rick Tocchet serving as an assistant on the Canada bench, was impressed with the play of USA from start to finish.
“I was super excited about the game itself,” Reirden said. “We knew this morning they were going to be watching it and the cheering that was going to be going back and forth. You hope those two teams end up playing in the final. Plenty of chances both ways. Obviously, being American-born, I’m happy with the United States winning and that it helped with the growth of hockey.”