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At the Winter Olympics, we saw U.S. hockey thriving. Both the men’s and women’s teams won gold, but for the men, it was their first in over 40 years. However, the spotlight was quickly taken away from them following comments by President Donald Trump. The viral video didn’t go down well with many, and SNL reacted to the incident in their typical way, while Mikaela Shiffrin made sure to make her love known.

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The iconic NBC comedy show addressed the incident with the help of host Connor Storrie. And it went brilliantly, as fans and critics alike loved it, as did Mikaela Shiffrin. An Olympic gold medalist herself, Shiffrin addressed Storrie’s monologue on X when she reposted the clip with a simple comment.

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“.@nbcsnl for the win 🥇,” Shiffrin posted.

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The video included Storrie’s five-odd-minute-long monologue, where he brings in brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes halfway through. He introduces the two Team USA men’s hockey stars before bringing in Hilary Knight and Megan Keller of Team USA women’s hockey. All four Olympians wore their gold medals, and Keller, with a straightforward face, subtly touched upon the recent incident.

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“It was going to be just us, but we thought we’d invite the guys too,” Keller said in the clip. “We thought we’d give them a little moment to shine.”

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On SNL, Knight sure got the last laugh. When Quinn Hughes said the US men’s gold medal was their first since 1980, Knight replied:

“The last time we did that was two whole Olympics ago.”

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Jack Hughes smiled and said, “Nice burn.”

Their comment comes after President Donald Trump went viral for his locker room call with the Team USA men’s hockey team following their 2-1 overtime win against Canada on February 22 at the Milan Cortina Games. He invited them to his State of the Union address before jokingly saying that he would have to invite the women’s side as well. The men’s team laughed at the joke and later accepted the formal invitation.

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Later, many of the men said they laughed while being caught up in the celebration. Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman acknowledged they “should have reacted differently” to Trump’s remarks, and his teammate Charlie McAvoy apologized “for how we responded” to the president’s call.

Meanwhile, the women’s team declined the invitation.

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They have since reportedly accepted an invitation by rapper Flavor Flav to host an event in Las Vegas. It will be a much larger event than initially reported, as Flav has invited all medal-winning female Olympians and Paralympians, which would include Mikaela Shiffrin.

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Hilary Knight on the camaraderie between the two teams

The camaraderie between the two sets of players was visible during the monologue as they joked around. Knight touched upon that in an earlier press conference when she also opened up about President Trump’s comments. The Team USA women’s captain called the joke “distasteful” and believes that it overshadowed the achievements of the Olympians.

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She talked about how the incident affected the men’s hockey team and how it hurt the camaraderie they had built during the Olympics.

“I think the guys were in a tough spot, so I think it’s a shame this storyline and narrative has kind of blown up and overshadowing that connection and genuine interest in one another and cheering each other on,” Knight said, according to ESPN.

The 36-year-old wasn’t the only one talking about the support the men’s team has shown. Fellow Olympian Kelly Pannek also had something similar to say in the aftermath. It does show that the two sides remain on somewhat good terms.

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However, only time will tell how the incident impacts that. What’s your take? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Siddhant Lazar

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Siddhant Lazar is a US Sports writer at EssentiallySports, combining his background in media and communications with a diverse body of work that bridges sports and entertainment journalism. A graduate in BBA Media and Communications, Siddhant began his career during a period of unprecedented change in global sport, covering events such as the postponed Euro 2021 and the Covid-19 impacted European football season. His professional journey spans roles as an intern, editor, and head writer across leading digital platforms, building a foundation rooted in research-driven storytelling and editorial precision. Drawing from years spent in dynamic newsroom environments, Siddhant’s writing reflects a balance of insight, structure, and accessibility, aimed at engaging readers while capturing the evolving intersection of sport and culture.

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Deepali Verma

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