MILAN (AP) — Dave Christian got emotional throughout the Winter Olympics watching nephew Brock Nelson play for the U.S., just like he did during the magical run in 1980.
Then it got even better: He got to congratulate Nelson after he became a gold medalist, just like him.
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United States' hockey players Mark Johnson, left and Bill Baker, right, battle Soviet Union's Vladimir Petrov (16) for the puck during a medal round match at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y., Feb. 22, 1980. (AP Photo/File)
United States players celebrate after scoring during a men's ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
FILE - United States' hockey team pounces on goalie Jim Craig after a 4-3 victory against the Soviet Union in a medal round match at the the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y., Feb. 22, 1980. (AP Photo/File)
United States' Jack Hughes (86) poses with teammates after a men's ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
“Fun to share this with him,” Nelson said after the U.S. beat Canada in overtime 46 years to the day of Christian and his teammates pulling off the “Miracle on Ice” by defeating the heavily favored Soviet Union on the way to gold in Lake Placid in upstate New York.
Christian and Mike Eruzione, the captain of the 1980 team, were in attendance at Milano Santagiulia Arena to witness just the third U.S. men's hockey gold medal in history. Eruzione had been around the team before, including a dinner at the 4 Nations Face-Off a year ago in Montreal, and has been willing to dole out advice whenever current players ask.
He just doesn't want their accomplishment to be overshadowed too much by looking back nearly a half-century to what Eruzione and Co. did.
“I’m happy for them,” Eruzione told The Associated Press by phone. “It’s got nothing to do with me or the 1980 Olympic team. I think my teammates and I are just proud at what these guys did and congratulations to them. They’re part of the family. They joined the gold medal club.”
It's a different time than 1980, and the game is viewed very differently in the U.S. Back then, on Feb. 22, 1980, the U.S. win over the Soviets was aired on tape-delay. This win, on Feb. 22, 2026, was aired live, though the broadcast started at 8 a.m. Eastern on a Sunday.
Doesn't matter. America was awake for it. Many bars and restaurants around the country were jammed, including in Lake Placid. America wanted to see 1980 happen again — and while this was no miracle, the drama delivered.
“I think every single person in that game can be proud,” said Jack Hughes, who scored the winning goal like Eruzione did. "Just a great game between USA and Canada.”
Milan is obviously also a different setting than Lake Placid, but U.S. players stayed in the athletes' village in Italy — unlike Canada, which moved to a hotel — and soaked up the full experience of the NHL being in the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
“We just really embraced the full Olympic aspect of it,” captain Auston Matthews said. “From the village to everything, we just had a blast for two weeks. To come out with a gold medal it’s obviously an incredible feeling but I'll definitely remember the whole two weeks.”
That 1980 team was famously made up of players largely from Minnesota and Boston. This team showed how much the game has grown in the U.S.
This team had plenty of players with Massachusetts and Minnesota ties, sure, but there were players from Missouri, New York, Ohio, Connecticut, Alaska, Colorado, Montana and more.
“Auston Matthews is from Arizona,” Eruzione said. “That wouldn’t have happened in ’80.”
He’s certain the 1980 team sparked growth within the game in the U.S. He’s just as certain that the two golds in Milan -- “the ladies, too,” Eruzione said -- will get even more kids to say they want to play hockey.
“Dating back to 1980, it’s been a long time,” center Jack Eichel said. "I know the 1980 team did and what that meant for generations that came after in USA Hockey. We wrote our own story here. It’s a really proud moment for every guy in that room, every person that’s a part of the team.’’
Reynolds reported from Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
United States' hockey players Mark Johnson, left and Bill Baker, right, battle Soviet Union's Vladimir Petrov (16) for the puck during a medal round match at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y., Feb. 22, 1980. (AP Photo/File)
United States players celebrate after scoring during a men's ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
FILE - United States' hockey team pounces on goalie Jim Craig after a 4-3 victory against the Soviet Union in a medal round match at the the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y., Feb. 22, 1980. (AP Photo/File)
United States' Jack Hughes (86) poses with teammates after a men's ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
WASHINGTON (AP) — An armed man drove into the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump's resort in Palm Beach, Florida, before being shot and killed early Sunday morning, according to a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service. Trump was not there but was at the White House in Washington.
The man, who was in his early 20s and from North Carolina, had a gas can and a shotgun, according to Anthony Guglielmi, the spokesman. He had been reported missing by his family a few days ago, and investigators believe he headed south and picked up the shotgun along the way.
Guglielmi said a box for the weapon was discovered in the man's vehicle after the incident, which took place around 1:30 a.m.
The man killed was identified by investigators as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Trump has faced threats to his life before, including two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign. Although the president often spends weekends at his resort, he and first lady Melania Trump were at the White House when the breach at Mar-a-Lago occurred.
The man entered the north gate of the property as another vehicle was exiting and was confronted by two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
“He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with him. At which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position,” Bradshaw said at a brief press conference. The two agents and the deputy “fired their weapons to neutralize the threat.”
The FBI asked residents who live near Mar-a-Lago to check any security cameras they may have for footage that could help investigators.
In a post on X, FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau would be “dedicating all necessary resources” to the investigation.
Investigators are working to compile a psychological profile, and a motive is still under investigation. Asked whether the man was known to law enforcement, Bradshaw said “not right now.”
On Sunday afternoon, vehicles blocked the entrance to a property listed in public records as an address for Martin at the end of a private road in Cameron, North Carolina.
Braeden Fields, Martin’s cousin, reacted with disbelief. He described Martin as quiet, afraid of guns and from a family of avid Trump supporters.
“He’s a good kid,” Fields, 19, said. He said they grew up together. “I wouldn’t believe he would do something like this. It’s mind-blowing,” Fields said.
He said Martin worked at a local golf course and would send money from each paycheck to charity.
“He wouldn’t even hurt an ant. He doesn’t even know how to use a gun,” Fields said.
He said his cousin didn’t discuss politics.
“We are big Trump supporters, all of us. Everybody,” Fields said, but his cousin was “real quiet, never really talked about anything.”
The incursion at Mar-a-Lago took place a few miles from Trump's West Palm Beach club where a man tried to assassinate him while he played golf during the 2024 campaign.
A Secret Service agent spotted that man, Ryan Routh, aiming a rifle through the shrubbery before Trump came into view. Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire and caused Routh to drop his weapon.
Routh was found guilty last year and sentenced this month to life in prison.
Trump also survived an assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally. That gunman fired eight shots before being killed by a Secret Service counter sniper. One rally attendee was killed by the gunman.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X that “the United States Secret Service acted quickly and decisively to neutralize a crazy person, armed with a gun and a gas canister, who intruded President Trump’s home.”
Leavitt used her post to blame Democratic lawmakers in Congress for the partial government shutdown affecting the Homeland Security Department, which began Feb. 14 after Democrats demanded changes to the president's deportation campaign.
The Secret Service is among the agencies where the vast majority of employees are continuing their work but missing a paycheck.
“Federal law enforcement are working 24/7 to keep our country safe and protect all Americans,” Leavitt said. “It’s shameful and reckless that Democrats have chosen to shut down their Department.”
The White House referred all questions to the Secret Service and FBI. Both Trump and his wife posted statements on social media after the incident, but they were unrelated to the shooting.
There have been other recent incidents of political violence as well.
In the past year, there was the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk; the assassination of the Democratic leader in the Minnesota state House and her husband and the shooting of another lawmaker and his wife; and an arson attack at the official residence of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Five days ago, a Georgia man armed with a shotgun was arrested as he sprinted toward the west side of the U.S. Capitol.
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Breed reported from Cameron, N.C. Associated Press reporters Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this story.
A fisherman casts his neat near Mar-a-Lago Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. The U.S. Secret Service announced Sunday that an armed man was shot and killed after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump's resort. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
A Palm Beach County sheriff deputy talks to a bicyclist on the bridge leading to Mar-a-Lago Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. The U.S. Secret Service announced Sunday that an armed man was shot and killed after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump's resort. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
A Palm Beach County Sheriff vehicle blocks traffic near Mar-a-Lago, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
The U.S. Secret Service announced Sunday that an armed man was shot and killed after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump's resort, Feb. 22, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive at the National Governors Association dinner at the White House, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
FILE - This is an aerial view of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, Aug. 10, 2022, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
