Women’s gold medal in hockey an inspiration to Hughes, men’s team ahead of semis 

MILAN -- The Hughes family has helped Team USA win one gold medal in hockey at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Now it’s going for two.

Ellen Weinberg-Hughes served as a consultant for the U.S. women’s team, which defeated Team Canada 2-1 in the gold medal game at Santagiulia Arena on Thursday when Megan Keller scored 4:07 into overtime.

Her sons Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes watched from the stands and will play for the U.S. men’s team against Team Slovakia in the semifinals in the same rink Friday (3:10 p.m. ET; Peacock, NBC, ICI Tele, CBC Gem, CBC [JIP], TSN [JIP], RDS2).

“Happy for her, happy for the whole team, everyone on the coaching staff,” Quinn said. “… You knew that game was going to be tough, but I think they deserved it."

Jack said: “We’re just super happy for all the girls there that won. I think all of us were pulling for them pretty hard, so that was a great game. … We know them obviously from the Olympic Village. We’ve been hanging with them a little bit. I think all of us, we were obviously really pumped up for them.”

Quinn scored the overtime winner in Team USA’s 2-1 win against Team Sweden in the quarterfinals Wednesday. He has six points (one goal, five assists) in four games, tied with captain Auston Matthews (three goals, three assists) for the U.S. lead.

Jack has four points (one goal, three assists) in four games. The coaches moved him up from right wing on the fourth line to left wing on the third line during the Sweden game, and he stayed with center Dylan Larkin and right wing Tage Thompson at the morning skate Friday.

“We thought he was playing real well,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “We thought by moving him and getting him more ice time, he could impact the game more, so it was just a decision on our part based on how Jack has played. We think he’s getting better with every game he’s played.”

Larkin said many of the men’s players watched the women’s game on television in a treatment room at the end of the hall they share with the women at the Olympic Village.

“We were going nuts,” said Larkin, a Michigan native. “Pretty good moment, and great for them. Megan Keller, that’s a great story. Michigan girl. Very proud for her, and yeah, great moment for USA Hockey.”

Sullivan said the coaches caught bits and pieces of the women’s game while preparing for Slovakia.

“It’s a great thrill,” Sullivan said. “Those girls, what a terrific hockey team. They’ll be an inspiration to the next generation of girls growing up in the United States. It’s crazy how far women’s hockey has come in the United States, and a lot of it is due to the teams like this and the girls that play on these teams. They inspire the next generation, and that’s how it works, and we couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Could they inspire the men?

“Without a doubt,” Sullivan said. “I think you look at how dominant they’ve been throughout the course of their tournament and before. That’s one of the best women’s teams, I think, I’ve seen, and we certainly aspire to do the same on the men’s side.”