USA Hockey Wins The Gold, Keith Yandle Talking About The Gold Medal Game, Olympic Luger Zach DiGregorio, CBB And Who's Back Of The Week

Summary of USA Hockey Wins The Gold, Keith Yandle Talking About The Gold Medal Game, Olympic Luger Zach DiGregorio, CBB And Who's Back Of The Week

by Barstool Sports

2h 35m•February 23, 2026
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Overview of USA Hockey Wins The Gold, Keith Yandle Talking About The Gold Medal Game, Olympic Luger Zach DiGregorio, CBB And Who's Back Of The Week

Barstool Sports’ Part of My Take episode covers the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey gold (and reactions), an in-depth chat with Team USA stalwart Keith Yandle, an interview with U.S. luger Zach DiGregorio about how athletes get into luge and the life of an Olympian, a college basketball recap, and the show’s “Who’s Back of the Week” picks. The hosts mix celebration, trolling of Canadian “cope,” sports takeaways, listener bits, and sponsor plugs.

Main segments — quick summary

  • U.S. men’s hockey gold: 2–1 overtime win vs. Canada (Jack Hughes OT winner). Connor Hellebuyck stood on his head (41 saves on 42 shots). Hosts celebrate the win, discuss roster construction, and mock Canadian reactions while praising the team’s grit.
  • Guest: Keith Yandle (Team USA) — breakdown of the game, roster strategy, Hellebuyck’s performance, Johnny Goudreau tribute, and what the gold means for USA Hockey.
  • Guest: Zach DiGregorio (U.S. Olympic luger) — how kids get recruited into luge, training and physique needed, doubles vs singles luge, natural luge, injury risk, Olympic Village life.
  • College basketball: reactions to Saturday’s slate — Duke vs. Michigan, Arizona vs. Houston, notes on Cameron Boozer, De’Vante/near triple-doubles, Florida/SEC discussion, and coaching/roster bits.
  • Who’s Back of the Week: three picks (viral baby monkey “Punch” story; graffiti at the new Buffalo Bills stadium; a Huffington Post cultural-take tweet).
  • Regular personalities, jokes, and Barstool-specific bits (manikin/mankini antics, tattoos, peptides banter, Barstool Combine tease).

Key takeaways and highlights

  • Game fundamentals

    • U.S. won 2–1 in OT after a tense match where Canada carried most of the play in the 2nd and 3rd periods.
    • Jack Hughes scored the OT winner; Connor Hellebuyck’s goaltending (41 saves on 42 shots) was pivotal.
    • The U.S. roster was built “defense-first” and to be gritty — the strategy worked against Canada’s higher-skill forwards.
    • Debate over 3-on-3 OT: hosts defend the format (exciting, produces highlight goals) and note roster construction should account for it.

  • Off-ice & emotional moments

    • Tribute: Johnny Goudreau’s family honored during the ceremony (Goudreau died in a tragic crash last year); his presence felt across the team.
    • The hosts celebrate both men’s and women’s U.S. hockey golds (a sweep), and make light of Canadian reactions (labelled “cope”).
    • Connor McDavid was named MVP of the men’s Olympic tournament (acknowledged despite Canada’s loss).

  • Longer-term meaning for U.S. hockey

    • Keith Yandle and hosts say this should grow the sport in non-traditional markets: more kids will sign up, and the NDTP/grassroots pipeline is producing results.
    • Credit to GM/management (Billy Guerin and staff) for roster construction and sticking with the plan.

Keith Yandle interview — highlights

  • Emotional reaction: Yandle says the game was one of the most thrilling sporting experiences he’s watched — every emotion from puke-to-joy.
  • Single biggest factor: Hellebuyck’s goaltending carried the team; Yandle repeatedly credits him.
  • Roster/strategy praise: Yandle praises the team’s defense-first build and players who sacrificed roles (e.g., Vincent Trocheck, J.T. Miller) for the team.
  • Program growth: Yandle notes the long-term benefits of the NTDP and stronger U.S. development pathways; expects Canada to try to copy parts of the model.
  • Johnny Goudreau tribute: Yandle called the inclusion of Goudreau’s family “first-class” and felt the win was for the brothers/family too.

Zach DiGregorio (luge) interview — highlights

  • How athletes are found: U.S. recruitment weekends use wheeled luge sleds (roller blades) for trials — most recruits discovered this way as kids (Zach tried it at age 10).
  • Ideal build: taller/heavier athletes with coachability are preferred (gravity and aerodynamics matter). Zach: about 6'1", 210 lbs.
  • Training: heavy offseason focus — 5 days/week weight room work, core strength, leg strength; steering is done with subtle leg pressure.
  • Singles vs doubles: doubles add complexity — you must sync with another athlete; top/bottom roles are based on size/aerodynamics. Zach started doubles during COVID and made it work.
  • Natural luge and international scene: Germany, Italy and Austria dominate; natural luge (sledding on ice through woods) is a big draw in Europe.
  • Dangers/crashes: high risk if untrained; at top level races are decided by milliseconds and setup optimization.
  • Life at Olympics: dorm-like Village life, team camaraderie, collecting Olympics souvenirs (jokes about condoms as collectible).
  • Outreach: Zach invites people to try luge (Lake Placid) and explains niche monetization (OnlyFans for behind-the-scenes, given limited sponsorships).

College basketball notes

  • Duke looked elite in neutral-site showcase vs. Michigan; Cameron Boozer continues to stand out.
  • Arizona impressed against Houston — their size and efficiency inside cause matchup problems.
  • Discussion of coaching, injuries and narratives: Donovan/players’ health, Kansas coaching images, and Florida emerging quietly as a strong SEC team.
  • Near triple-doubles are huge in college (rare, impressive stat lines cited).

Who’s Back of the Week

  • PFT’s pick: Viral baby monkey “Punch” — bullied then embraced by adult monkey (emotional turnaround).
  • Hank’s pick: Graffiti at new Buffalo Bills stadium — scandalous enough to delay construction and trigger a $100k bounty to ID vandals (details intentionally withheld by the team).
  • Another pick: Huffington Post cultural-take headline — “If waving the American flag or chanting USA turns you off…” — hosts mock and say it’s fine to just enjoy the Olympics.

Notable quotes

  • “If you win the game you are the better team that day.” — on the claim Canada was the better team.
  • “Hop on my back. I got this for you.” — characterization of Hellebuyck’s performance (Yandle).
  • “Silver shines just as bright” — jokingly used re: women’s silver (and hosts riff on national sports pride).

Promotions, events & sponsor plugs mentioned

  • Game Time app (promo PMT) — ticket deals
  • DraftKings (King of the Court & promo TAKE)
  • Twisted Tea (Who's Back sponsor)
  • Chevy Silverado (tailgate/training truck)
  • Morgan & Morgan (legal)
  • SimpliSafe (home security) — promo simplisafe.com/PMT
  • Nutrafol (hair growth) — promo PMT
  • Microsoft 365 Copilot
  • McDonald’s Hot Honey Sauce
  • Announcements: Barstool Combine (Indy), PMT punishment stream (Friday 8am), tattoos/PMT 10-year anniversary plans, peptides & training banter

Recommended actions for listeners (from the episode)

  • Watch the full U.S. vs Canada gold game highlights / replays — the hosts and Yandle say it’s worth multiple viewings.
  • Listen to Yandle’s extended analysis on Spittin’ Chiclets for deeper hockey breakdown.
  • If intrigued by luge: check U.S. luge recruitment weekends (Lake Placid is a key hub).
  • Tune into upcoming Barstool events (Barstool Combine, punishment stream) and follow Part of My Take social channels for updates.
  • If you want lighter follow-ups: rewatch Jack Hughes OT goal, the Johnny Goudreau tribute, and the postgame interviews (Hughes/Hellebuyck).

Final notes

  • Tone: celebratory, irreverent, and full of Barstool-style trolling aimed at Canadian fans combined with genuine admiration for the U.S. teams and emotional Olympic moments.
  • The episode blends sports analysis (game tactics, roster construction) with human-interest Olympic stories (tributes, village life) and entertainment bits (viral clips, tattoos, sponsor promos).