Boston Bruins
“With what he’s been through this year, and a little bit of last year, very happy for him for sure.”
As Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman celebrated with the rest of their Team USA teammates on the ice in Milan after winning Olympic gold for the first time in 46 years, their Bruins teammates also hit the frozen sheet some 3,800 miles away.
Marco Sturm and several other Bruins skaters and coaches do not hail from the U.S. But, as the Bruins took to the ice at Warrior Ice Arena on Sunday afternoon, they found a way to salute McAvoy and Swayman for winning some Olympic hardware.
“Did you hear when we went on the ice? The national anthem was on. I can’t believe that. I don’t know who was it,” Sturm told reporters Sunday. “You see a guy like Fraser Minten, such a young kid, rooting for Canada — he was devastated. So hopefully, he is going to be in one soon. On the other side, the Americans are so proud. … It’s great.”
While Jack Hughes and Connor Hellebuyck provided the heroics in Team USA’s 2-1 overtime triumph over Canada, McAvoy made his presence felt across the Olympic tournament.
The Bruins’ blueliner finished with 22:45 of ice time in the victory, the second-highest ice time on Team USA behind his D partner, Quinn Hughes.
While he didn’t record a point in those six games, McAvoy served as the American’s go-to shutdown option and physical equalizer, doling out some heavy hits against Sweden and Slovakia during the knockout round.
McAvoy’s top play came in the midst of a 1-1 deadlock in the third period. Hellebuyck stopped 41 shots that came his way against Canada, but it was McAvoy — situated behind the U.S. goalie amid a scrum — who was there to bat down a fluttering puck launched by Tom Wilson.
Had McAvoy not been there to knock the puck out of danger, it would have sailed past Hellebuyck and into the net — giving Canada its first lead of the gold-medal showdown/
“That was pretty crazy,” Casey Mittelstadt said. “We were watching, and someone yelled, ‘I think Chucky saved it.’ Then we saw the replay. Obviously, a pivotal point in the game. I think that probably gets overlooked by the overtime goal. Who knows if you get there if he isn’t there.
“Showed up in big moments, made big plays in both ends,” Mittelstadt added of McAvoy’s impact. “With what he’s been through this year, and a little bit of last year, very happy for him for sure.”
Along with McAvoy, Swayman earned a gold medal in his first taste of Olympic competition. After helping the U.S. win gold in the IIHF World Championships last May, Swayman made one start for the Americans during the Olympics, giving up three goals in a win over Denmark during group play.
Sturm is hopeful that a gold medal for both McAvoy and Swayman will give both key cogs on the Bruins an added boost as they return for the stretch run of the 2025-26 regular season.
“I have to be careful, because [Bruins GM Don Sweeney] is on the other side [as Canada’s assistant GM], right,” Sturm said of McAvoy and Swayman. “So I’ve got to be careful. He’s my boss. … The things especially with, even Sway, and Charlie — the things they went through the past year, two years, this year.
“To have them come home with gold, that for me makes me happy. Of course, they’re one of us. So we’re really excited.”
For Andrew Peeke, it was rewarding to see both the U.S. men’s and women’s hockey teams leave Italy with Olympic gold. The women’s team defeated Canada in overtime en route to their own triumph.
“It’s unbelievable. That women’s game — I was glued to the TV for that one, too. All in all, USA Hockey has taken a big step in the last decade or so,” Peeke said, adding: “It is really exciting for our game in general, and hopefully it continues to keep blossoming.”
Bruins defenseman and former Northeastern captain Jordan Harris was happy to see a few other Husky alums thrive on the Olympic stage. Team USA goalie Aerin Frankel won gold and Alina Müller scored the OT winner to secure a bronze medal for Switzerland.
“She’s a stud,” Harris told WEEI’s Scott McLaughlin of Frankel, who also stars for the Boston Fleet. “I got to watch a lot of Aerin Frankel in college. All those girls, just to see what they did — I’m not really surprised, just because I’ve seen the work they put in over the years.
“I’ve skated with Aerin a bunch in the summer, and she’s a tough cookie. She skates with all the men’s groups in the summer and gives them all headaches. So, yeah, she’s a beast.”
As the Bruins continue to get ready to resume play on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, it remains to be seen when McAvoy and Swayman will be back on the ice with Boston.
Team USA is flying back from Italy on Monday, but they will be landing in Florida due to the poor weather set to hit most of the Northeast.
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