Connor Hellebuyck and wife Andrea will certainly remember this moment.
Shortly after Team USA sealed its 2-1 overtime win against Canada in Sunday’s gold medal hockey game at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, the Michigan-born goalie, 32, found his biggest supporter in the stands at the Milano Santagiulia Arena, as captured in an Instagram Story shared on Andrea’s page.
In the video, Andrea can be seen leaning against the railing to kiss Hellebuyck, who had a spectacular 41 saves on 42 shots.
“Oh my gosh, they’re going to be talking about this performance for generations,” teammate Matthew Tkachuk gushed of Hellebuyck’s heroics.
“It was an all-time performance from a superstar at his position. It’s gonna go down as one of the best performances of all time — it has to. Right up there with Jimmy Craig, all the great United States goaltenders. In the NHL, whatever type of hockey, whatever goaltending performance you want to talk about, that’s right up there. If we don’t have him, we don’t win.”
Hellebuyck, the Winnipeg Jets’ netminder, denied Connor McDavid, Macklin Celebrini and Devon Toews in the gold-medal contest as center Jack Hughes put it away for the States less than two minutes into overtime.
The celebrations continued outside the arena as Andrea triumphantly raised her hands, as a “Connor Hellebuyck” cheer erupted behind her, according to a video shared on her Instagram Story.
Other posts featured the couple reuniting as they welcomed Hellebuyck’s new piece of gold hardware into the family.
A four-time NHL All-Star and a three-time Vezina Trophy winner, reigning NHL MVP Hellebuyck had been making his Olympic debut in this year’s Winter Games.
He and the Jets (22-26) will return to action Wednesday against the Cannucks.
Through 36 games played, Hellebuyck has posted a 2.79 GAA [goals against average] this season with a .900 save percentage.
Hellebuyck and Andrea have two children together.
