Hockey is a popular sport at the Olympics, with both men’s and women’s tournaments held every four years. The sport’s Olympic debut was at the 1998 Winter Games, and since that time, Canada has claimed the most medals — including two gold — while the United States has landed only one.
The 2018 Olympic Games featured an intriguing twist: For the first time in more than a decade, NHL players were allowed to compete in the tournament. The decision ended a boycott of the event by the world’s best players that began in 2014 and had been fueled by concerns over the potential dangers of playing in such a high-profile event.
Until this year, only the Soviet Union had won more men’s hockey medals in its Olympic history than the U.S., which had clinched the gold in the Miracle on Ice upset of the Americans at the 1980 Olympics. Now, the American team trails the Soviets by just three medals apiece.
The men’s semifinal on February 24 may have been the most memorable game in Olympic history. The American squad trailed the Soviets 2-1 late in the third period, and it seemed like the score would stand as the teams headed to overtime. But then Dave Christian, son of Bill Christian, slapped a shot toward Vladimir Tretiak. The puck appeared to cross the goal line, but according to IIHF rules, the puck must touch the entire netting before counting as a goal.