From Lost Teeth To Golden Glory: The Chaotic Night Jack Hughes Won Olympic Gold

Could Jack Hughes really go from winning gold to flashing gold teeth?

Jack Hughes delivered the decisive overtime goal in the U.S. men’s hockey gold medal game against Canada at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, securing the nation’s first men’s hockey gold since the iconic 1980 Miracle on Ice.

The winning moment came after Hughes had already taken a hit earlier in the game, losing several teeth when a stick from Canada’s Sam Bennett caught him in the face during the third period. Hughes later revealed that the first person to reach him on the ice after the collision was his older brother and Team USA teammate, Quinn Hughes.

“It’s funny how things work out because the first guy closest to me when I’m laying on the ice is obviously my older brother,” Jack said while appearing on TODAY with Quinn on Feb. 24. “He had the puck, and you can actually see him checking me right away, trying to figure out what was going on with my teeth.”

Jack recalled Quinn leaning in and calmly reassuring him, saying, “It’s all good, man. It’s only chips. You’re going to be OK,” a moment that sparked laughter from Carson Daly, Hoda Kotb, and Craig Melvin.

Quinn added his own perspective, joking, “I saw his smile and immediately thought, ‘Uh oh… that doesn’t look great.’”

Carson Daly then asked about how soon Jack planned to get his teeth repaired — and whether gold replacements were on the table.

“He’s got enough gold to afford it,” Quinn joked.

Jack laughed and admitted the attention surprised him. “Everyone in the media just wants to talk about my teeth,” he said. “I’m ready to get them fixed as soon as I can.”

He added that dental injuries are almost a rite of passage in hockey, noting that players regularly push through far worse. “I’m definitely ready to get my smile back,” he said.

Jack and Quinn’s mother, Ellen Hughes, appeared alongside her husband, Jim Hughes, on TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle on Feb. 24, explaining that the family has dealt with similar situations before.

“The first time Jack lost a tooth, they rebuilt it and he started wearing a mouth guard,” Ellen said. “I really thought that would protect him for good, but clearly it didn’t. He has such a great smile, and hopefully they’ll be able to restore it just the same.”

Earlier on TODAY, Ellen — who also works as a player development consultant for Team USA women’s hockey — was asked which moment was harder to watch: the hit to Jack’s face or the overtime goal that clinched gold.

“Definitely the stick to the face,” she said without hesitation.

“I’m grateful he wears a mouth guard,” she continued. “I can’t imagine how many more teeth he might have lost without it. We were sitting right there and could actually see Quinn picking the teeth up off the ice. Honestly, I was relieved it was just teeth and nothing worse.”

She shrugged off the injury with perspective. “What can you do? He’ll have a great dentist. He’ll get it fixed. And what a moment to be part of.”

Ellen also admitted she was still stunned that Jack went on to score the winning goal after the injury.

“When the goal happened, I wasn’t even sure it was him,” she said. “For us as parents, it doesn’t really matter who scores. It’s about the team winning. The women felt the same way. It was such a historic moment — and just incredible to be part of it.”