Jack Hughes delivers gold at the Olympics! Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Our guy Jack, sporting cracked teeth, with the golden goal for Team USA!
Luke’s reaction to the goal:
“The Devils have been one of the league’s biggest disappointments — but there are still several positives beneath the surface.” [Infernal Access ($)]
“The New Jersey Devils need to get younger and more skilled. Who could they target to do so?” [Devils on the Rush]
Hockey Links
“Finally. Forty-six years after the United States won its last men’s hockey gold medal at the Olympics, the U.S. has reached the top of the mountain again, ending Canada’s dominance in best-on-best hockey Sunday afternoon.” [The Athletic ($)]
“Team Canada coach Jon Cooper said he’s not using the 3-on-3 overtime as an excuse for losing the gold medal game. But he said taking four players off the ice made the hockey ‘not hockey anymore.’” [The Hockey News]
Connor Hellebuyck was impressive for Team USA throughout the Olympics, and this one will be remembered for a while:
“Team USA won for more than just their country on Sunday. Following their win over Canada in the gold-medal game at the Milano Cortina Olympics, the Americans carried the late Johnny Gaudreau’s jersey onto the ice to honour the former Team USA mainstay. Captain Auston Matthews, alternate Matthew Tkachuk and defenceman Zach Werenski — who played alongside Gaudreau on the Columbus Blue Jackets — held up Gaudreau’s sweater while taking a lap after the win.” [Sportsnet]
Connor is the tournament’s MVP:
“The Americans have the gold. The Canadians still have their arrogance of hockey superiority by birthright. All that means is that we’re going to be doing this dance together for a very long time, except now on equal footing. As Jack Hughes said after winning Olympic gold for the Americans: ‘We wanted to go through Canada and beat them.’” [ESPN]
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