Team USA wins gold medal in men’s hockey final vs. Canada
USAT’s Helen St. James breaks the men’s hockey gold medal game, giving the United States its first gold medal since the “Miracle on Ice” 46 years ago.
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Olympian Jack Hughes and his mother recently reacted to the virus outbreak between the U.S. men’s hockey team and President Donald Trump.
During a locker room conference call with the team, President Trump invited the players to attend the State of the Union address. He briefly mentioned the U.S. women’s hockey team, which also defeated Canada in overtime to win the gold medal at the Olympics, and said he had to invite them or he would be “impeached.” The men’s hockey team laughed when they heard their president’s statement.
“People out there are so negative and just trying to put people down and find reasons to create something out of almost nothing,” Jack Hughes told the Daily Mail.
“People are so negative about things. I think everyone in that locker room knows how much we support them and how proud we are of them. And I know they feel about us as much as we feel about them.”
Jack’s mother, Ellen Hughes, also addressed the backlash during an appearance on the Today Show. Ellen Hughes is also the mother of Team USA’s Quinn Hughes and a consultant for the U.S. women’s hockey team.
“These players, both male and female, can bring great unity to a group and a country,” said Ellen Hughes. “The people who support that don’t watch hockey, there are people who have politics on either side, and both the men’s and women’s teams are just concerned about that.”
A USA Hockey spokesperson said the women’s team received an invitation but will not be able to participate. They declined the president’s invitation.
“Due to timing and their academic and professional commitments after the Olympics, the athletes will not be able to participate,” the spokesperson said. “They are honored to participate and grateful for the recognition.”
Jack Hughes appears to have confirmed that he and his teammates will be in Washington for President Trump’s speech. “We’re very proud to represent the United States. If we have the opportunity to go to the White House and meet the president, we’re proud to be Americans and it’s very patriotic,” Hughes said.
Despite the backlash over the phone call with President Trump, Hughes’ mother said both athletes supported each other during their respective runs toward medals.
“If you look at what we see from the inside and see the dorm rooms and halls and flex floors that men and women share, the camaraderie and the synergy, the women rooting for the men, the men rooting for the women, that’s what it’s all about,” Hughes’ mother said.
“And other things that they can’t control. They care about humanity. They care about unity. They care about nationhood.”
