U.S. goaltender Connor Hellebuyck makes a save during Sunday's Olympics Gold Medal Game in Milan, Italy. (AP photo)

MILAN, Italy — Jack Hughes scored at 1:51 of 3-on-3 sudden death overtime to give the United States men’s hockey team its first Olympic gold medal since 1980, 2-1 over Team Canada

Canada has outshot the U.S. by a whopping 41-26 margin through three periods.

The numbers since the start of the second period: 33 shots for Canada, 18 for the U.S.

But American goalie Connor Hellebuyck has kept his team in the game, making 40 saves to keep the score 1-1 as they head to overtime.

He wasn’t able to get to one of Canada’s best chances late in the third period — but Hellebuyck, it turned out, didn’t need to.

That’s because Nathan MacKinnon’s shot right from the doorstep went wide to the right of the net.

The U.S. and Canada were tied 1-1 heading into the third period.

After trailing since the sixth minute, Canada got on the board with less than two minutes left in the second period — and on its 26th shot of the afternoon — when defenseman Makar skated in and sent the puck past Connor Hellebuyck.

The Americans almost went back up just before the end of the second, but Brock Faber’s shot went off Jake Guentzel’s stick and then clanged off the post.

Canada has drawn two penalties while committing one — and even had a 5-on-3 advantage for about 1 1/2 minutes.

Matt Boldy put the U.S. ahead 1-0 exactly 6 minutes into the game.

He got the puck from Auston Matthews, batted it to himself off his stick blade to maneuver between Canadian defensemen Devon Toews and Cale Makar and slid a backhand past goalie Jordan Binnington.

It was the Americans’ first shot on goal of the game.