PTI Podcast Episode Summary

Episode Title: How MONUMENTAL was the USA's Win in Hockey?
Hosts: Tony Kornheiser & Michael Wilbon (ESPN)
Date: February 23, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode spotlights the USA's dramatic gold medal win over Canada in the Olympic men's hockey final—an instant classic that marks a generational achievement for American hockey. Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon break down the game, its legacy, the American stars who shone across the Winter Olympics, and dive into the latest in college basketball and NBA MVP races. The discussion is lively, nostalgic, and packed with insights on the magnitude of recent sports moments.

Main Topics & Discussion Breakdown

1. USA’s Monumental Olympic Hockey Win

(00:26–05:11)

• Match Details:

  • USA defeated Canada 2-1 in a dramatic overtime.
  • The winning goal: Jack Hughes scored 1:41 into 3-on-3 OT.
  • USA's goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 41 saves; Canada’s Jordan Binnington stopped 28 shots.

• Game Analysis:

  • Wilbon:
    • Raves about the quality and sustained intensity, particularly the third period:

      “The most sustained great period of hockey that I've ever seen. … the level of play was astounding.” (01:37)

    • Says the skill, athleticism, goaltending, and drama surpassed even high-level NHL and previous Olympic play.
    • Praises Hellebuyck’s pivotal performance, noting the game could have swung dramatically without his heroics.
  • Kornheiser:
    • Not traditionally a “hockey guy,” he was transfixed throughout and praised the caliber of goaltending:

      "It was as great a game as you could ever hope for." (02:59)

    • Notes the historical significance: first “best-on-best” USA-Canada win in 30 years.
    • Shareable moment: Jack Hughes’ “smile of joy reveals all the teeth got knocked out about three minutes earlier!” (03:39)

• Format Quibble:

  • Tony: Slightly laments ending with 3-on-3, would prefer longer 5-on-5 overtime, echoing Canadian coach:

    "When you take four players off the ice, hockey is not hockey anymore." (04:26)

  • Wilbon: Defends 3-on-3 as “breathtaking,” vastly preferable to a shootout, and fair since Canada also benefited from 3-on-3 earlier.

2. Reflecting on the Winter Olympics

(05:11–08:39)

• American Highlights:

  • Alyssa Liu breaks 24-year U.S. gold drought in women’s figure skating.
  • Ilya Malinin’s team gold but disappointing men’s singles.
  • Lindsey Vonn’s career-ending injury, Michaela Shiffrin’s comeback.
  • Gold medals in men’s and women’s hockey, bobsled (Elana Meyers Taylor), and speed skating.

• Tony's Perspective:

  • Admits initial disappointment from early flops (Vonn’s injury, Malinin, Shiffrin's early failures, Kim’s silver).

    “There was a certain deflation for me early that made it hard for me to embrace what happened the rest of the way.” (07:17)

  • Second week victories, especially Shiffrin and Liu’s golds, brought redemption and excitement.

• Wilbon's Perspective:

  • Misses being at the Olympics, where you’re immersed in international stories and energy, not just American narratives.
    • Empathizes with Vonn and stresses athlete safety over results:

      "I'm just glad that it sounds like she's gonna be okay. That's what I leave these games hoping for." (08:39)

3. College Basketball: Who’s #1?

(08:39–12:25)

• Major Weekend Results:

  • #3 Duke beats #1 Michigan.
  • #4 Arizona beats #2 Houston.
  • Other top-10 teams (Iowa State, Kansas) lose, mixing up rankings.

• Seed Projections:

  • Wilbon:
    • Top four: Duke, Michigan, Arizona, Houston.
    • Special attention on quality players—prepping for March Madness.

    “Duke would be my top seed.” (09:34)

  • Kornheiser:
    • Also puts Duke as #1, then Arizona, Michigan.
    • Highlights Arizona’s stacked resume: “Arizona beat Houston in Houston… Florida, UConn, Alabama, and BYU.” (11:32)
    • Building excitement for the tournament:

      “I’m getting very anxious for March and for the tournament because... we’ve had really good teams play really good teams...” (12:25)

4. NBA MVP Race & Jaylen Brown Debate

(12:40–19:13)

• LeBron’s Comments:

  • Questions why Jaylen Brown is overlooked for MVP.

• Wilbon:

  • Agrees with LeBron; has Brown ranked no lower than 3rd, possibly 2nd.
  • His top 4: Cade Cunningham (“probably #1”), Jaylen Brown, Nikola Jokic, Wembanyama.

    “Jaylen Brown could be second, third, or fourth. So I wouldn’t have him as low as sixth, like apparently is the case now in some of these straw polls.” (17:00)

• Kornheiser:

  • Strongly agrees—Brown and Cunningham are his clear MVP frontrunners.

    “Cade Cunningham is the best player on the team with the best record in the NBA. Jaylen Brown is the best player on the most surprising team in the NBA... Jaylen Brown has stepped up.” (17:51)

  • Dismisses Luka Doncic as a top choice:

    “Don’t mention Luka. No, no, no. Luka doesn’t even get… No. Luka’s not first team All-NBA.” (18:46)

5. Mail Time & Notable Moments

(14:39–15:42; 21:36–25:39)

• Golf:

  • Discussion about Jacob Bridgman’s win at Riviera after being criticized for slow play at Pebble Beach. Insights on nerves and athletic appeal:

    “He said, ‘I couldn’t even feel my hands.’ Yeah, that's nervous.” (15:42)

• Happy Time (Sports Anniversaries/Celebrations):

  • Ed "Too Tall" Jones’ 75th birthday—Cowboys legend.
  • 30th anniversary of Rex Chapman’s historic game against the Bulls.

    “The Bulls treated the trip to Miami like a mini vacation. They were out all night... but we got them that one night. They’d be 73 and 9 if not for us.” – Chapman via Rich Eisen, quoted at (23:19)

  • Dylan Brooks' injury and the Suns’ prospects during his absence.

• Lightning Round/Big Finish:

  • Kevin Durant plans to play 2028 Olympics.
  • Pat Riley’s statue at Lakers arena.
  • Messi and Inter Miami's MLS opener loss.
  • Artie Moreno (Angels) dismisses winning as a fan priority—both hosts disagree:

    “Sell the team to someone who wants to win.” – Kornheiser (25:17)

6. Memorable Quotes

• Wilbon:

  “The level of play was astounding. … The third period alone was just the most sustained great period of hockey that I've ever seen.” (01:37)

• Kornheiser:

  “It was as great a game as you could ever hope for. ... The goaltending, as you said, carried the entire game.” (02:59)

• Kornheiser (on Jack Hughes):

  “His smile of joy reveals all the teeth. Got knocked out about three minutes earlier in the game.” (03:39)

• Wilbon (on Lindsey Vonn):

  “I’m just glad that it sounds like she’s gonna be okay. That’s what I leave these games hoping for.” (08:39)

• Kornheiser (on MVP voting):

  “Jaylen Brown is either 1 or 2 for me, and Cunningham is Tony.” (17:51)

Noteworthy Segments and Timestamps

• Start of Hockey Gold Discussion: 00:26–05:11
• Olympics Recap: 05:11–08:39
• College Basketball Weekend Results: 08:39–12:25
• NBA MVP/Jaylen Brown debate: 12:40–19:13
• Happy Time anniversaries (Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Rex Chapman, Dylan Brooks news): 21:36–24:28
• Lightning Round/Big Finish: 24:28–25:25

Tone & Style

• Conversational, playful, and passionate sports analysis with friendly banter and nostalgia.
• Frequent first-hand recollections (“as you know”; “when you and I were at the Olympics”).
• Honest, sometimes blunt takes on both legendary moments and sporting controversies.
• Signature blend of stats, quips, and storytelling central to PTI’s style.

Summary

This PTI episode is a vibrant celebration and critical analysis of one of the greatest moments in US Olympic hockey, nested within a larger discussion of recent athletic highs and lows—from Winter Olympic heroics to the shifting sands of March Madness favorites and the evolving NBA MVP conversation. With trademark wit and depth, Kornheiser and Wilbon make a compelling case for the enduring power of sports to surprise, inspire, and stir debate.