A changing of the tides happened on Sunday morning (Feb. 22) for Los Angeles Kings and Team Canada defenseman Drew Doughty for his home country in the Winter Olympics in the gold medal decor. Team Canada wasn't able to capture the gold medal for the fourth Olympics in a row in the past couple of decades (since the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC, over 15 years ago).
Overtime loss prevents Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty from claiming a third gold medal with Team Canada this weekend
Multiple Kings' players who represented their home countries and the franchise in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan this past couple of weeks, this month in mid-to-late February, are taking medals home this year from Italy. Doughty and goalie Darcy Kuemper won the silver medal late this weekend on Sunday with Team Canada.
Doughty, Kuemper, and Team Canada fell short of Team USA on Sunday morning in extra time in overtime on the scoreboard by a score of 2-1 on a goal scored by New Jersey Devils' forward Jack Hughes. Team USA also got a heroic 40+ save performance from Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck in net on Sunday vs. Canada on the ice.
Another member of the Kings' coaching staff who received a medal from the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, late this weekend on Sunday was goalie coach Mike Buckley, who won gold with the United States after the overtime win today over Team Canada on Feb. 22. Buckley deserves credit for helping Team USA get the goalies ready for the Olympics, including the 41-save performance today from Hellebucyk for the United States in net.
The rivalry win for Team USA over Team Canada this morning late this weekend on Sunday snapped a four-game losing streak in the Olympics for the United States on the ice. The script was completely flipped today on the ice, with the United States winning the country's first gold medal for the flag since the Miracle on Ice in 1980 against the Soviet Union in the Winter Olympics over 40 years ago.
For Team Finland, winger Joel Armia took home the bronze medal after a dominant 6-1 win on the scoreboard in the third-place game in the Olympics early this weekend on Saturday (Feb. 21). Armia registered a team-high three points and one goal on the stat sheet to help Finland get the bronze medal on the podium this weekend.
While Doughty had a good tournament for Team Canada this past couple of weeks for the Olympics, he wasn't able to capture his third gold medal this year for his home country and while representing the Kings' franchise. Doughty was a consistent presence on the blue line on defense for Team Canada this past couple of weeks. He gave it all he had in the middle frame in the second period and the final frame today for Team Canada on the ice.