A senate RESOLUTION

 

TO EXPRESS THE GRATITUDE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE FOR THE GOLD-MEDAL VICTORIES OF THE UNITED STATES WOMEN'S AND MEN'S HOCKEY TEAMS AT THE 2026 OLYMPIC GAMES IN MILAN, ITALY, AND to CONGRATULATE THEM ON THEIR SUCCESS IN REPRESENTING THE NATION WITH PRIDE ON THE WORLD STAGE.

 

Whereas, on Thursday, February 19, 2026, the United States women's hockey team battled Canada in the gold medal game of the 2026 Olympics in Milan, Italy; and

 

Whereas, Canada made the first goal early in the second period to take a 1-0 lead over the United States. Captain for the United States, forward Hilary Knight, tied the score 1-1 with two minutes remaining in the third period; and

 

Whereas, when the game went into a 3-on-3 shoot-out in sudden death overtime, defender Megan Kelly collected a pass from teammate Taylor Heise and found the net four minutes into overtime with a backhand shot giving the United States a 2-1 victory and the gold; and

 

Whereas, goalie Aerin Frankel made thirty saves in the championship game, giving the United States its third Olympic gold medal, adding to previous golds won in 1998 and 2018. With a combined score of 33-2 in the seven tournament games, the United States went undefeated for the first time since the 1998 gold-medal performance; and

 

Whereas, forty-six years to the day, the United States men's hockey team won its first gold medal since 1980 in what has come to be called the "Miracle on Ice." The 2026 team hoped for another "Miracle in Milan" at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Sunday, February 22; and

 

Whereas, in the first period of the sixty-minute game, Matt Boldy scored for the United States, and Canada scored in the second for a tie. America's goalie, Connor Hellebuyck, held off a rapacious game-long attack from Canada, fending off forty-one shots. When regulation time ended with a tie score of 1-1, the game went into 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime; and

 

Whereas, in less than two minutes into overtime, Zach Werenski took the puck from a Canadian defenseman and quickly found Jack Hughes blazing down the ice. Hughes did not waste time getting the puck past Canada's goalkeeper delivering the United States a thrilling 2-1 overtime win, its first gold medal in men's hockey since that "Miracle on Ice"; and

 

Whereas, the victory of the men's and women's teams has been all the sweeter because both teams shared the glory on their respective podiums with the same exact 2-1 scores won in 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime, and Americans were delighted to hear the players expressing their pride in this great nation. Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the Senate:

 

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, express their gratitude for the United States gold-medal victories of the United States women's and men's hockey teams at the 2026 Olympic games in Milan, Italy, and congratulate them on their success in representing the nation with pride on the world stage.

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