Overview
- The United States defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime in Milan, with Jack Hughes scoring the winning goal.
- Postgame, the team posed behind Gaudreau’s No. 13 jersey and brought his children, Noa and Johnny Jr., onto the ice for the official photo, with his son marking his second birthday.
- Captain Auston Matthews, Zach Werenski and Matthew Tkachuk took victory laps carrying Gaudreau’s sweater, saying he was on their minds throughout the tournament.
- Gaudreau’s widow Meredith and his parents, Guy and Jane, attended the final, and relatives said his parents initially hesitated to travel.
- Gaudreau, 31, died in August 2024 alongside his brother Matthew after an alcohol-impaired SUV driver struck them while they rode bicycles, and he had been expected to make the U.S. Olympic roster.