Connor McDavid is the best hockey player in the world, but the Stanley Cup and, now Olympic gold medal, have remained elusive for him.
The United States topped Canada, 2-1, in the men's hockey gold medal game on Sunday. The Americans held on for dear life in the third period, forcing overtime. Jack Hughes, 24, scored the game-winning goal for the United States. It's America's first gold medal in men's hockey at the Winter Olympics since the "Miracle on Ice" game in 1980.
But for Canada, Sunday's loss was devastating, especially for McDavid. The Canadian star, who has yet to win a Stanley Cup, wore the captain's "C" on his chest, with Sidney Crosby unable to go due to injury. Canada was probably the better team for much of the game, but they couldn't get it done in overtime.
“It’s been close for a while. You know, they’re an amazing, skilled group of players,’’ Canadian star Nathan MacKinnon said, the New York Times reported. “Just, yeah. I just felt like it wasn’t going to be. You guys can be the judge of who the better team was tonight. But they won. We lost.’’
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McDavid, meanwhile, has yet to say much about the loss. The same can be said of his wife, Lauren.
While Lauren was in a great mood before the game, she has yet to speak out on social media following the devastating loss.
She's been quiet, like her husband.
"Grwm ❤️🤍🇨🇦 ready for the finals!! Go Canada go!!! 🍁," she wrote before the gold medal game on Sunday morning.
McDavid and Canada will be reeling from this one for a while
Canada might have been the better team on paper on Sunday, but it was the United States that got the big win when it mattered most.
And, for McDavid, this is going to be something that haunts him for a while - until he can lift that Stanley Cup trophy or win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics.
NHL players are expected to return to the 2030 Winter Olympics, which will be another big opportunity for McDavid, the best player in the world.