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)
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.
46 years after the Miracle on Ice… Team USA is chasing its first gold since 1980 🇺🇸🥇 pic.twitter.com/WEXKA8kDCp
— ESPN (@espn) February 21, 2026
Second and third, the victory came on George Washington’s birthday during the 250th celebration of the independence of the United States, no less.
🇺🇸 ABSOLUTE DESTINY! 🇺🇸
The USA Men’s Hockey Team won the Olympic Gold Medal on
– the 46th Anniversary of the 1980 Miracle on Ice
– George Washington’s 294th Birthday
– and during America’s 250th Birthday yearpic.twitter.com/z0mvFqDXlq
— Monica Crowley (@MonicaCrowley) February 22, 2026
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.
USA needed a finisher. Jack Hughes delivered. #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/DBWsSAEXbe
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) February 22, 2026
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.
For the first time in Olympic history, Team USA won the gold medal in both men’s and women’s hockey in the same year 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/9eVOGmTmZC
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) February 22, 2026
Fifth, the win came on Johnny Gaudreau’s baby’s second birthday.
Johnny Gaudreau’s sweater hangs in Team USA’s locker room, while his family is in the stands for the gold medal game.
Johnny’s son, Johnny Jr., is celebrating his second birthday today ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/MWLolNDFfW
— ESPN (@espn) February 22, 2026
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.
‘WE DID IT FOR HIM’: Team USA men’s hockey honored late star Johnny Gaudreau throughout the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, carrying his No. 13 jersey as they captured gold with a win over Canada.
Gaudreau, who was killed alongside his brother in an alleged drunk driving crash in… pic.twitter.com/4LyrTeXcn2
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 22, 2026
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.
Randy DeSoto has written more than 3,000 articles for The Western Journal since he began with the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book “We Hold These Truths” and screenwriter of the political documentary “I Want Your Money.”
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean’s list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Professional Memberships
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment, Faith
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