Golden Knights stars Eichel, Hanifin win gold for Team USA

The Vegas Golden Knights were coming back with gold regardless of who won Sunday’s game.

To the spoils go center Jack Eichel and defenseman Noah Hanifin.

The Knights’ stars captured their first Olympic gold medals after Team USA defeated Canada in an epic 2-1 overtime game to cap the Winter Olympics in Milan.

New Jersey Devils winger Jack Hughes scored the winner 1:41 into 3-on-3 overtime to give the United States its first gold medal 46 years to the day that the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team beat Russia en route to capturing an improbable gold.

Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 41 massive saves.

“It’s a dream come true,” Hellebuyck said. “I love this group. We’ve had so much fun over here. We’ve grinded, we’ve battled. This is some of the best and most fun hockey I’ve ever played.”

Eichel led all U.S. forwards in ice time with 20:14 and had three shots. Hanifin played 6:03.

Team USA defeated Canada in a gold medal game for the first time in three tries. Canada won in 2002, then again in 2010 on Sidney Crosby’s golden goal.

Crosby, Canada’s captain, did not play Sunday because of a lower-body injury.

Canada was held to silver for the first time since the 1994 Games.

“Dating back to 1980, it’s been a long time,” Eichel said. “I know the 1980 team did and what that meant for generations that came after in USA Hockey. We wrote our own story here. It’s a really proud moment for every guy in that room, every person that’s a part of the team.’’

Knights captain Mark Stone played 14:53, winger Mitch Marner had one shot in 17:45 and defenseman Shea Theodore played 8:58 for their first Olympic medals. Knights coach Bruce Cassidy will also bring back his first medal as an assistant on Team Canada.

Hughes lost some teeth before his winning goal after taking a stick to the mouth from Sam Bennett in the third period.

“I looked on the ice and saw my teeth,” said Hughes, who also had one knocked out in an NHL game a few years ago. “I was like, ‘Here we go again.’”

Epic environment

You can’t accurately describe how epic this game was unless you were in Milan.

NBC did close to a perfect job capturing it. Not one commercial aired during game play. All focus went to the ice. It was the perfect intimate setting for hockey viewing.

Those who woke up on the Pacific time zone at 5:10 a.m. to watch a hockey game were given a treat that was worth getting up early.

The pace was electric from the first puck drop. Both teams played with speed from the get-go. Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy scored six minutes in for a 1-0 U.S. lead.

Colorado defenseman Cale Makar tied the score after a frantic push from Canada in the second.

A game with two total goals in regulation needed pristine goaltending. Hellebuyck and Canada goalie Jordan Binnington delivered. Binnington made 26 saves.

His teammates didn’t produce enough offensively because Hellebuyck made stop after stop, such as a game-saving paddle save on defenseman Devon Toews in the third period.

Tough way to end a great game

Also, this needs to be the first and only time a gold medal can be decided by 3-on-3 overtime.

This needed to end at 5-on-5. It doesn’t matter how long it took — two overtimes, three overtimes or until Monday morning.

“You take four players off the ice, now hockey’s not hockey anymore,” Canada coach Jon Cooper said. “There’s a reason overtime and shootouts are in play — it’s all TV driven to end games, so it’s not a long time. There’s a reason why it’s not in the Stanley Cup Final or playoffs.”

Yes, the 2010 game was at 4-on-4 because that was the NHL’s rules at the time. The 4 Nations Face-Off was decided at 5-on-5. It can be done.

The same can be said for the women’s gold medal game. That didn’t need 3-on-3, even if it was an epic finish for Team USA’s win over Canada.

Here’s hoping that changes in 2030, because it’s likely going to be USA-Canada Round 4 in France.

The Knights return to practice Monday. The final six from Italy probably won’t be back until Tuesday or Wednesday.

The mad dash to the end of the NHL regular season and the Stanley Cup playoffs then begins.