Things were fairly ordinary on a dreary, cloudy Sunday at UMPC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.
As members of the Pittsburgh Penguins gathered to refine their skills for practice, fans watched from the stands. And many of them wore jerseys of players who have captivated them for the past two-plus decades, such as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
There was even one fan intrigued enough by 18-year-old Ben Kindel to don his No. 81.
One jersey stood out above all others, however.
The No. 19 of United States forward Matthew Tkachuk.
By the time the Penguins gathered for practice at noon, celebrations of the United States’ men’s team winning gold at the Olympics for the first time in 46 years had been happening for approximately an hour following a 2-1 overtime victory against Canada in Milan.
And the rejoicing wasn’t just limited to those in the bleachers in Cranberry.
Members of the Penguins gathered within various domains of the team’s facilities to watch what was perhaps the most anticipated hockey game of the 21st century.
“Some guys in the hot tub,” forward Kevin Hayes said. “Some guys in the meal room. Some guys in the training room.”
It was appointment viewing in other outposts across a nation that largely has treated hockey as more of a curiosity than part of the country’s culture.
The Penguins roster is dotted with a handful of American players who hail from traditional hockey areas such as New England and the Upper Midwest.
And many members of the crew who won gold on Sunday hail from places such as Massachusetts and Minnesota.
But also, Missouri, Arizona, Colorado and Alaska.
As well as Western Pennsylvania, with forwards J.T. Miller (Coraopolis, by way of East Palestine, Ohio) and Vince Trocheck (Upper St. Clair).
The significance wasn’t lost on former Penguins defenseman Dylan Reese, also an Upper St. Clair native who was among the first wave of players from this region to reach the NHL in the early 2000s.
“It says a lot about the state of hockey in Pittsburgh,” Reese said by phone. “There’s more and more players coming. The Penguins Elite (youth program) has established itself as one of the best in the country. It’s amazing.
“I’m really happy and proud of them.”
Sunday’s triumph reflected an ever-expanding footprint for hockey in the United States, where the limits on the regions that players come from are less defined.
“You’re seeing more and more of that now,” said Penguins coach Dan Muse, who first encountered the game in Alabama, of all places, as a youth. “Just players coming from all different parts of the (United States). And there’s still so much room for growth. You hope for the (United States) and hockey in general, too, a tournament like this, it can continue to just grow and grow the passion for the game.”
The passion for the game is fairly universal, regardless of ZIP code or time zone.
Or nation.
That’s why the heartache was still prevalent for Penguins forward Rickard Rakell, a member of Sweden’s team, which finished in seventh place of the 12-team tournament despite being expected to earn a medal.
“It’s a dream come true for me to have a chance to do that,” Rakell said. “I think, over time, I’ll be more proud of it. Every chance you get to put on your country’s jersey, it’s a huge honor. Right now, it just stings a little bit with how it all ended.”
Latvia was not considered a threat to win the tournament and certainly met those modest expectations with a 10th-place finish. Regardless, Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs took pride in wearing the carmine red and white gear that was in an equipment bag next to his stall in Cranberry.
“Not a lot of guys get an opportunity like that,” Silovs said. “And you have to be grateful for it and the country that you play for. For sure, you want to play more games, make the quarterfinals and see what’s going to happen there, but it didn’t happen this time for us.
“I think it’s just taking pride in playing every single game with the national team jersey and showing some enjoyment to the fans.”
Combined with the United States’ women’s team also winning gold — defeating Canada in an identical 2-1 overtime victory on Thursday — the sport is enjoying an all-too-rare spotlight on this continent below the 49th parallel.
“It’s growing in (different) places already,” said Penguins forward Tommy Novak, who grew up in Wisconsin. “Hopefully, they can just keep growing throughout these states that don’t have as much organized hockey. It will be a pretty good thing. It will just continue to grow.
“A lot of eyes were on hockey today, which I think is good.”
Penguins video coach Madison Nikkel was the lone member of the organization to win gold Sunday, serving in the same capacity for USA Hockey.
“He had earned this opportunity,” Muse said. “He does such an amazing job. He’s so diligent in everything that he does. He’s such a great teammate within the coaching staff. … I know the work that he does and how high-quality it is. A lot of things happen behind the scenes in that role. I know he played a big role in them working through that tournament. Just thrilled for him to get that experience and to be part of a championship team.”
Former members of the Penguins were also part of Sunday’s success, including forward Jake Guentzel, coach Mike Sullivan, executive and forward Bill Guerin and equipment staffer Teddy Richards.
“I’m familiar with a lot of the staff and a lot of the players,” Rust said. “To see them and how that group came together and see how much fun they had playing a really good brand of hockey and winning a gold medal was really cool.”
Part of the United States’ celebration on Sunday involved the family of Johnny Gaudreau. Gaudreau was an NHL All-Star who was killed in September 2024 when he and his brother, Matthew, were struck by a car in their native New Jersey while riding bicycles.
Two of his children, daughter Noa and son Johnny Jr., were on the ice for a team photograph along with Gaudreau’s No. 13 jersey.
Sunday happened to be the second birthday of Johnny Jr.
“Johnny would have been on that team,” said Hayes, a close friend of the Gaudreaus. “It’s little Johnny’s birthday. Really cool story. I’m really happy that (wife) Meredith, (mother) Jane and (father) Guy got to go over there.
“It’s a really cool moment.”
Sunday is a moment that will endure for the sport in the United States.
“There were always great American players when I was growing up,” said Rust, a native of Michigan. “Whether it was (Mike) Modano, Brett Hull, (Brian) Leetch, Mike Richter, Billy Guerin, guys who were great American hockey players. Keith Tkachuk, Jeremy Roenick. There were tons of guys.
“Now, there’s a new generation of those guys that kids are going to be looking up to.”