Team USA's Goaltending Could Lead Them to Gold Over Canada

Team USA and Team Canada for the Gold Medal in the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, just like everyone anticipated, is going to happen. Jack Eichel, Jack Hughes and others against Macklin Celebrini, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon on the big stage.

But when it comes to thinking about the matchup and who possibly has the advantage, the advantage should go to Team USA because of their goaltending. Connor Hellebuyck and Jordan Binnington both have been real good for their respective teams in the tournament.

But Hellebuyck has been just a bit better, and he has the recency bias of beating Binnington in last year's first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs when Hellebuyck's Winnipeg Jets defeated Binnington's St. Louis Blues in seven games. So far in the tournament, Hellebuyck sports a 2 GAA and a save percentage of .915 through 4 games.

As for Binnington, he sports a 1.75 GAA and a save percentage of .913 through 4 games so far in the Olympics. Binnington so far has the better goals against average, but Hellebuyck has the better save percentage. But so far in the tournament, Hellebuyck has looked more poised and locked in and less fidgety than Binnington has. The numbers are very similar, but Team USA should have the edge.

Feb 20, 2026; Milan, Italy; Jordan Binnington (50) of Canada takes the ice for the second period against Finland in a men's ice hockey semifinal during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images

Hellebuyck is just more clutch than Binnington and should be in the Gold Medal Game

Even with the numbers so far this tournament for both goaltenders being really similar, Hellebuyck just has the more clutch gene for Team USA than Binnington does for Team Canada. When the average fan watches Binnington in the NHL, he is not great, but when he suits up for Team Canada, he is a very good goalie.

When the average NHL fan watches Hellebuyck in the NHL, usually he is a very good goalie, but this year has been a down year for him. But when they watch him for Team USA, he has been very good and looks like he cannot be beaten and is making clutch saves when he needs to.

This game is going to be decided by which goaltender makes the big save when they need to and does not give up the weaker goal. History says that Binnington gives up the weak goal when he needs to make a big save, and Hellebuyck makes the big save way more often than he needs to.

It is bound to be an excellent game from start to finish. It is going to have all the star power that the hockey world has been hoping for and more.

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