Hilary Knight, Megan Keller and brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes surprised the Saturday Night Live audience, joining host Connor Storrie during his opening monologue wearing Team USA jerseys and their Olympic gold medals to loud applause.
The four, who were part of the U.S. women’s and men’s teams that won gold at the Milan-Cortina Games, used the moment to tease a recent controversy. Knight opened with, “It was going to be just us, but we thought we’d invite the guys, too,” a jab at President Trump’s congratulatory call to the men’s team that included an invitation to the State of the Union and a remark that he’d have to invite the women as well — a line many interpreted as sexist.
Knight called the president’s joke “distasteful and unfortunate,” saying the narrative had distracted from the teams’ genuine support for one another. Several players later said they “should have reacted differently” to the call; Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman and teammate Charlie McAvoy expressed regret about how they handled it.
On the ice, the women had beaten Canada 2-1 in overtime three days before the men’s similar 2-1 overtime victory. Keller scored the women’s overtime goal after Knight tied the game in the final minutes. Jack Hughes scored the men’s overtime winner.
The U.S. women declined a White House invitation, citing travel plans; they returned home on commercial flights later than the men, who flew back on a charter paid for by the NHL and NHLPA.
Knight, listed as playing for the PWHL’s Seattle Torrent, flew to New York the day after being placed on long-term injured reserve. Keller, who plays for Boston, arrived after suiting up earlier that day in Boston’s 3-2 shootout win at Ottawa. Jack Hughes plays for the New Jersey Devils and Quinn Hughes for the Minnesota Wild.
On SNL, the players traded barbs and banter: when Quinn noted the last U.S. men’s Olympic gold had been in 1980, Knight reminded the room the women’s team last won in 2018, which Jack called a “nice burn.” When Storrie asked to try on one of the medals, all four replied, “No.”
Heated Rivalry, the HBO Max series starring Storrie and adapted from Rachel Reid’s 2019 novel, has become a hit by centering a gay hockey romance between two opposing players. Creator and director Jacob Tierney told CBS Mornings a second season is being written and is expected to begin shooting in August.