Matthew Tkachuk's Team USA quote hits nerves, why "our game" talk stings after Canada loss

The United States beat Canada 2-1 in overtime to end a 46-year wait for men's hockey gold.

Jack Hughes buried the winner in extra time, and Connor Hellebuyck stood tall with 41 saves.

In the postgame glow, Tkachuk went full chest-out patriot, calling the U.S. «the greatest country in the world» and claiming hockey as America's game.

That is the part that's getting clipped, shared, and dunked on, especially north of the border, where «our game» is not a throwaway phrase.

What gets lost is how personal the night was for the Tkachuks, especially with their St. Louis roots and the way they still talk about home like it shaped their edge.

If you're Canadian, it sounds like gloating with a flag wrapped around it.

If you're American, it sounds like relief, like a team that finally kicked down a door it's been leaning on for years.

Tkachuk also leaned into that exact point, saying the U.S. has «been knocking at the door» and «got the game of hockey right now.»

The TSN graphic made it louder, too, because big white text turns a messy, emotional quote into a billboard.

I get why fans bristled, but I also get why a bruising winger fresh off gold talks like the moment might never come again.

On the ice, that swagger fits Team USA's identity, pace early, pressure hard, finish at the net, and trust Hellebuyck between the pipes.

Canada pushed late, but the U.S. survived the storm, and overtime flips legends in one shift.

Now the quote lives online, but the real story is the medal, and how this rivalry feels even meaner the next time they meet.