How Jack Hughes lost his teeth before becoming U.S. hockey legend at Olympics originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jack Hughes flashed that smile everywhere on Sunday evening in Milan.
Yes, that missing-teeth, bloody smile. And why wouldn't he? He had scored the sudden-death, game-winning goal in overtime of the 2026 Winter Olympics gold medal men's hockey game, propelling the United States past Canada, 2-1.
Teeth or no teeth, a hockey player could dream of no better reason to smile.
The scene probably made Hughes himself go even more viral than he already would've. There was something extra gritty about the hockey player who lost some teeth being the guy who won Team USA's first men's hockey gold medal since 1980's Miracle On Ice team.
It was really a wild end to the game for Hughes on a number of levels.
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How did Jack Hughes lose his teeth?
Hughes lost his teeth thanks to a high stick from Canada's Sam Bennett.
In the latter stages of the third period, Bennett and Hughes were tangled near the boards, and Bennett's stick whacked up in Hughes' face.
It would normally have been a two-minute penalty, but because it caused bleeding, that was doubled.
It looked like a great chance for Team USA, but they couldn't convert on the four-minute power play, and when Hughes returned, he committed a high-sticking penalty of his own. That gave Canada a chance to win the game themselves on a power play.
But the third period ended without any more goals, opening up the 3-on-3 overtime stage.
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Hughes was set up by great hustle from Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, who beat Nathan MacKinnon to a loose puck and then found Hughes in space.
The shot from Hughes was true, and the celebrations commenced.
All the reason in the world to smile that less-than-toothy grin.
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- Jack Hughes has forever changed his value
- Zach Werenski made 'the play before The Play'
- Connor Hellebuyck has changed his story forever
- Alex Ovechkin has shared an update on his retirement plans
- Evgeni Malkin gets big news on a possible future