Jack Hughes Reveals He And Quinn Nearly Left U.S. Women's Gold Medal Game 

Jack Hughes may have delivered the game-winning overtime goal that secured Olympic gold for Team USA, but according to the New Jersey Devils star, one of the most nerve-racking moments of the Games actually happened before his own championship matchup. During a media appearance at Raising Cane's in Times Square on March 9, alongside U.S. women's hockey gold medalist Caroline Harvey, Hughes opened up about watching the U.S. women's team defeat Canada in their own overtime gold medal game. And while Jack Hughes has played in plenty of high-pressure moments, he admitted watching from the stands had him feeling extremely anxious.

Hughes revealed that he attended the women's gold medal game with his brother, Minnesota Wild star Quinn Hughes, and the experience quickly turned into a nerve-wracking one. "Me and Quinn were at that whole game," Hughes said at the event, in which The Blast attended. "We were going to leave after the second period, but they were down one nothing."

The brothers ultimately decided to stay, something Hughes is clearly glad they did. "You get nervous for your own game sometimes," he explained, referring to the upcoming Men's semifinals game. "But we were stressing so much for them in the crowd."

According to Hughes, the tension came from knowing just how dominant the U.S. women had been leading up to the final. "I think they beat the Canadian women's team seven times in a row leading up to the gold medal game," he said. "Sports are weird where you can be better than a team and still lose the big one."

When the Americans scored late to tie the game before winning in overtime, Hughes said the feeling inside the arena shifted instantly. "We were so relieved and so pumped up for them," he recalled.

The Devils center said the victory also gave the men's team extra motivation heading into their own championship showdown against Canada, but after celebrating the women's win, Hughes said it was time to lock back in. "We were just worried about our game," he explained. "We had to lock in the next night."

The team quickly returned to focus mode as they prepared for one of the biggest matchups of the tournament.

Both the men's and women's teams ultimately defeated Canada to win Olympic gold, making the moment even more meaningful for Hughes. "I don't think the men's and women's teams have ever won together," he said. "So for us to do that with them was pretty special."

For Hughes, the dual victories represented a major milestone for American hockey. "To take home two golds, that's a big deal for USA Hockey," he added.

Of course, Hughes would soon create his own historic moment just days later. The 24-year-old Devils center scored the game-winning goal 1:41 into overtime in the men's gold medal game, slipping the puck between the legs of Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington to secure a 2-1 victory.

Despite the dramatic finish, Hughes said he tries not to focus too much on the long-term legacy of the moment. "Honestly, I don't really care about legacy," he said. "We had such a good group of guys. We talked about this for so long, we wanted it, and we got it done."

While Hughes says life hasn't dramatically changed since the Olympics, he admitted the support from fans back home has been overwhelming. "Since we've come back to the U.S., the love from people has been awesome," he said. "People on the streets are like, 'Thank you, we needed this.' They're so fired up."

Still, Hughes says the most meaningful part of the experience is knowing the 2026 team could inspire the next generation of players. "Kids are going to remember the 2026 team that won gold," he said. "In 15 years, there are going to be American NHL players talking about that moment."

And judging by the intensity he felt watching the women's championship game from the stands, Hughes already knows just how powerful those Olympic moments can be.