Gold Medal Hockey Game Paralympics Milan Cortina Leaves U.S. With Historic Olympic-Paralympic Sweep
The United States completed a rare triple triumph at Milan Cortina, beating Canada 6-2 in the gold medal hockey game paralympics final as Jack Wallace scored a hat trick to secure Paralympic gold and the country’s sweep of the Olympic and Paralympic hockey tournaments.
Gold Medal Hockey Game Paralympics: Wallace Hat Trick Seals 6-2 Win in Milan
In front of a near-capacity crowd, Jack Wallace produced three goals to drive the U. S. past Canada in the para ice hockey final. The 6-2 scoreline delivered the United States its Paralympic gold and made it the first nation to capture all three hockey tournaments at the Olympics and Paralympics in the same year. The victory followed an Olympic men’s final loss by Canada to the United States weeks earlier, completing a sweep across events at Milan Cortina.
Attendance, Records and Team Milestones
The final drew a record crowd for the sport at a major tournament, with 10, 795 fans filling the stands. That surpassed the previous mark of 8, 992 set in the tournament-opening matchup between the U. S. and the host nation. The win extended the U. S. run in the Paralympics: it was a fifth straight title for the U. S. and for captain Josh Pauls, while Wallace now has three Paralympic golds and several teammates have four. Overall, the U. S. has taken six of the past seven editions of the Winter Paralympics in the sport.
Captain Josh Pauls reflected on the depth and development behind the result, noting the investment in grassroots programs and the emergence of young players taking pivotal roles. Wallace, who scored the hat trick, expressed delight at the achievement. Wallace was 27 at the time of the final and had his right leg amputated above the knee after a water-skiing accident at age 10; he found a path back to high-level hockey through Para ice hockey.
Bronze Match, Canada’s Final Run and What Comes Next
China claimed the bronze medal with a 3-2 victory over the Czech Republic, rallying after conceding two goals in the opening three minutes to complete a comeback. Canada suffered a third straight loss in the Paralympic final; its lone para ice hockey gold had been won on Italian ice in Turin in 2006. The gold medal hockey game paralympics victory for the United States caps a tournament notable for crowd enthusiasm and competitive continuity between the Olympic and Paralympic programs.
With the most immediate outcomes settled—medals awarded, records set and streaks extended—attention will turn to sustaining development pathways and to how rival nations respond. The U. S. achievement stands as a confirmed milestone in the year’s international hockey calendar, with broader implications for program investment and athlete progression that will shape future tournaments.
