USA's dramatic gold medal hockey victory captivates and motivates Phillies camp

Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, soon to represent USA at the WBC, shared how they'll use Sunday's gold medal hockey game as motivation.

Feb. 22, 2026 at 10:50pm

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The U.S. men's hockey team's dramatic overtime win over Canada in the Olympic gold medal game captivated Phillies players, including top prospect Aidan Miller, who has experience winning gold with Team USA. Phillies stars Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, who will soon play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, were inspired by the hockey team's victory and plan to use it as motivation.

Why it matters

The Phillies players' excitement over the U.S. hockey team's gold medal win shows the power of national pride and international competition to captivate and motivate athletes, even those in different sports. The Phillies stars see the hockey team's triumph as inspiration as they prepare to represent the U.S. in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

The details

Phillies prospect Aidan Miller, who has won gold with Team USA in international baseball competitions, watched the hockey game closely and described the feeling of winning gold as "the greatest feeling in the world." Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, who will play for Team USA in the WBC, were also thrilled by the hockey team's victory, with Schwarber saying it will motivate him to try to win gold this time after settling for silver in the last WBC.

  • The U.S.-Canada gold medal hockey game started a little after 8 a.m. EST on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
  • Team USA will play its first game in the World Baseball Classic on March 6.

The players

Aidan Miller

A top prospect in the Phillies' system who has won gold medals with Team USA in international baseball competitions.

Bryce Harper

A Phillies star who has also represented the U.S. in international competition.

Kyle Schwarber

A Phillies outfielder who played for Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Jack Hughes

The U.S. hockey player who scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give the U.S. the gold medal.

Shohei Ohtani

The Japanese superstar who struck out Mike Trout to win the 2023 World Baseball Classic for Team Japan.

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What they’re saying

“Representing your country and winning gold — you can't even describe it. It's the coolest thing. Jack Hughes talked about it in his interview after the game. It's like you're only with those guys for two or three weeks and you form such a brotherhood. The feeling is unmatched. Just putting the gold medal on your chest is awesome.”

— Aidan Miller, Phillies prospect (nbcsportsphiladelphia.com)

“Incredible. What a game. So fun to watch. I'm so proud to be an American and so happy they were able to take over the hockey world for at least three more years.”

— Bryce Harper (nbcsportsphiladelphia.com)

“That was amazing. So exciting. That will probably get me to watch a lot more. Right from the get go, it felt like they were skating two or three times what they normally do. That shows you how intense that moment was for everyone.”

— Kyle Schwarber, Phillies outfielder (nbcsportsphiladelphia.com)

What’s next

Team USA will play its first game in the World Baseball Classic on March 6.

The takeaway

The Phillies players' excitement over the U.S. hockey team's gold medal triumph shows how international competition can captivate and motivate athletes, even those in different sports. The hockey team's victory has inspired Phillies stars like Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber as they prepare to represent the U.S. in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, where they hope to bring home the gold medal just like their fellow Americans on the ice.