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Brady Tkachuk #7 and Matthew Tkachuk #19 of Team United States celebrate their gold-medal win Sunday after the Men's Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games in Milan, Italy. (Catherine Steenkeste / Getty Images)

Five Reasons Team USA's Hockey Win Felt Like Providence

 By Randy DeSoto  February 23, 2026 at 10:33am

For those who believe that God ultimately governs over the affairs of this world, faith was certainly strengthened by the several occurrences in Team USA’s men’s hockey victory over Canada on Sunday.

Here are five reasons many are likely to conclude God’s providence was in play.

First, as has been noted by many, it came on the 46th anniversary of Team USA’s win over the Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, the last time the men’s team took home the gold.

Second and third, the victory came on George Washington’s birthday during the 250th celebration of the independence of the United States, no less.

Fourth, it occurred in an overtime 2-1 win over the Canadians, which is the same margin and the same country our women’s team triumphed over.

As an aside, it also happened to be the first time Team USA won both the men’s and women’s gold in the same Olympics.

Fifth, the win came on Johnny Gaudreau’s baby’s second birthday.

The team honored Gaudreau, a seven-time NHL All-Star, who was on the path to be on the 2026 Olympic team before being tragically killed at 31 in a 2024 accident by a suspected drunk driver.

As I wrote about in my book “We Hold These Truths,” Americans have identified many instances throughout U.S. history of God’s hand seeming to help guide events on earth in their favor.

Sunday’s amazing Team USA hockey win looks like another one.

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