U.S. Olympic Hockey Champions Celebrate Wins on SNL, Tonight Show

Players from men's and women's teams put politics aside for victory lap media appearances

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

After the U.S. men's and women's hockey teams won Olympic gold medals in Milan, the players embarked on a whirlwind victory lap that included appearances on "Saturday Night Live" and "The Tonight Show." The celebrations initially got sidetracked by political distractions, but the players were able to reset the narrative and focus on their historic accomplishments.

Why it matters

The twin Olympic golds won by the U.S. men's and women's hockey teams marked a historic achievement, but the national celebration was threatened by political controversies. The players' ability to steer the focus back to their athletic triumphs underscores the power of sports to unite and inspire a country.

The details

In the days after the gold medal wins, players like Hilary Knight, Megan Keller, Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes found themselves fielding questions about politics and sexism rather than basking in the glory of their victories. A joke from Knight on "Saturday Night Live" and fist-bumps with the Hughes brothers on "The Tonight Show" helped reset the narrative and put the focus back on the teams' accomplishments. Coordinating the victory lap media tour required extensive planning and cooperation between the leagues, agencies and networks involved.

  • On Feb. 19, employees with the Professional Women's Hockey League reached out to NBC about a victory lap for the women's team.
  • On Feb. 20, the day after the women's gold medal game, NHL VP of corporate communications Nirva Milord finalized a grid of every player on the U.S. and Canadian men's teams and their schedules for the following two weeks.
  • Jack Hughes' overtime goal came just before 11 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, Feb. 21, sparking a flurry of appearance requests.
  • The U.S. men's and women's players enjoyed a celebratory moment together in the athletes' village dining hall following the closing ceremony in Milan.
  • The players flew from Milan to New York, but weather issues diverted the women's team to Atlanta and sent the men's team to Miami.

The players

Hilary Knight

A forward on the U.S. women's hockey team who won Olympic gold.

Megan Keller

A defenseman on the U.S. women's hockey team who won Olympic gold.

Jack Hughes

A forward on the U.S. men's hockey team who scored the overtime goal to win Olympic gold.

Quinn Hughes

A defenseman on the U.S. men's hockey team and Jack's brother.

Matthew Tkachuk

A forward on the U.S. men's hockey team.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It was going to be just us, but we thought we'd invite the guys, too.”

— Hilary Knight (Saturday Night Live)

“We're telling stories, have a few drinks and just countless laughs. It's been unbelievable, celebrating with them — them winning first was a great motivator for us — and just becoming close with a lot of the girls on the team.”

— Matthew Tkachuk, Forward, U.S. Men's Hockey Team (The Associated Press)

“The best couple weeks of my life. To be on that and share it with the women's team, the men's team was just a pretty cool moment.”

— Jack Hughes, Forward, U.S. Men's Hockey Team (The Associated Press)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.