MILAN (AP) — Jack Hughes lost some teeth before he won Olympic gold for the United States.
The forward who put the puck in the net in overtime to give the Americans a 2-1 victory over Canada in the men's hockey final at the Milan Cortina Games on Sunday did so with a bloody mouth and less of a bite than he began the game with. That's because Hughes was spittin' chiclets after taking a stick to the mouth from Sam Bennett in the third period.
“I looked on the ice and saw my teeth,” said Hughes, who had one knocked out in an NHL game a few years ago, too. “I was like, ‘Here we go again.’”
Well, that's a mouthful to say.
The 24-year-old Hughes is a forward for the New Jersey Devils. He scored past Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington after a little more than 1 1/2 minutes of extra time.
Hughes’ older brother, Quinn, 26, is a defenseman for the Americans, who won the country’s first gold in men’s hockey since the 1980 “ Miracle on Ice ” team that upset the heavily favored Soviet Union at Lake Placid.
“No one loves the game more than him,” Quinn said about Jack. “He’s got so much passion. He's a gamer. He made it happen.”
Other teammates figured that Jack Hughes will be just fine without some of his chompers. There was not exactly a whole lot of sympathy going on around among the 2026 Olympic champs.
After all, it is a well-known and frequent occurrence for hockey players to lose a tooth — or teeth — in their often-violent sport.
“Who cares at this point, to be honest?" said Matt Boldy, who scored the other U.S. goal on Binnington, just 6 minutes after the game began. "I think more people are looking at his medal than his teeth. I’m sure he’ll be OK.”
That's certainly something to chew on.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
United States' Jack Hughes celebrates after scoring the winning goal against Canada during the overtime period of the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
United States' Jack Hughes (86) and Clayton Keller (91) react after receiving their gold medals after the USA defeated Canada in the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
United States' Jack Hughes (86), who scored the winning overtime goal, celebrates after defeating Canada in the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
LILLE, France (AP) — France remained on course for the Six Nations title after a scrappy 33-8 win against Italy on Sunday.
Fabien Galthié’s side is favored to win back-to-back titles and is the only team to have won all three matches. France grabbed five tries for a bonus point and has 18 tries so far, having managed a tournament-record 30 last year.
Jet-heeled left winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, lock Emmanuel Meafou and makeshift flyhalf Thomas Ramos scored first-half tries at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, two of them set up by star scrumhalf Antoine Dupont.
But after leading 19-0 inside 30 minutes, the French tried too much entertaining as indiscipline allowed Italy back in.
An opportunist try from fullback Ange Capuozzo followed by Paolo Garbisi’s penalty pulled it back to 19-8.
The scoreboard stayed static until 31 minutes into the second half when the ever-alert Ramos kicked into the right corner to give winger Gaël Dréan a try on test debut.
That try came with down to 14 players after winger Louis Lynagh — the son of Australian flyhalf great Michael Lynagh — was carelessly sinbinned for a deliberate knock-on.
Italy's bench was angry at the try, which came with the Italians effectively down to 13 because Capuozzo was not yet back on the field following treatment for a shoulder injury.
Center Emilien Gailleton showed his strength when he broke a tackle to dive over in the closing stages, and Ramos converted.
“It wasn’t our most complete performance. But I can tell you Italy really fought hard, we were not surprised by their intensity,” Ramos said. “We have two matches left to go and get the title.”
Galthié said his players were a bit tense at times.
“We made a few mistakes in terms of our positioning and our lineouts,” he said, pointing to late team changes as a factor.
Matthieu Jalibert pulled out on Saturday night with a minor calf injury and was replaced at flyhalf by Ramos. This forced Galthié to improvise as Théo Attisssogbe took Ramos’ place at fullback and Dréan replaced Attisssogbe on the right wing.
Bielle-Biarrey scored France’s first try in the fourth minute. Attisssogbe won an aerial challenge and Dupont kicked quickly to the left corner, where Bielle-Biarrey profited from a favorable bounce to grab the ball just before it went out.
It was the 22-year-old’s 24th try in 25 tests and his fourth of the tournament. His eight tries in last year’s tournament equaled the record of England’s Cyril Lowe in 1914, and Scotland’s Ian Smith in 1925, when the tournament was the Five Nations.
After France gained ground by spreading the play right, Italy could not prevent Dupont setting up Meafou to bulldoze over in the 15th.
The galloping Gailleton broke free down the left and unselfishly passed inside to Ramos for the third try, which he converted.
Italy pulled a try back when careless defending from Attisssogbe in the right corner allowed Capuozzo to dart over.
More loose French play saw flanker Oscar Jegou trying a one-handed floated pass, which led to an interception and forced Bielle-Biarrey to cover. When France conceded a penalty at the scrum, Garbisi’s kick gave Italy some hope at 19-8 down at the break.
Having impressed against Wales last weekend, center Fabien Brau-Boirie became butter-fingered as he dropped Dupont’s pass in front of the posts midway through the second half.
But as Italy faded, France finally tightened up.
France is away to Scotland and Italy hosts a slumping England side, with both matches on March 7.
France started by crushing Ireland 36-14 and routed Wales with eight tries in Cardiff.
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Italy's Leonardo Marin, center, is tackled by France's Charles Ollivon during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Italy in Lille, France, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
France's Emmanuel Meafou, left, scores a try as Italy's Louis Lynagh tries to defend during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Italy in Lille, France, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
France's Emilien Gailleton, right, goes over to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Italy in Lille, France, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
