Britannica Sources used in this answer

How did the Czech Republic win the men’s ice hockey gold medal at the 1998 Nagano Olympics?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

ice hockey Goalie Marc-André Fleury of the Vegas Golden Knights blocking a shot by Jakub Vrána of the Washington Capitals in game five of the 2018 Stanley Cup finals. The Capitals won the game and the series.

The Czech Republic’s men’s ice hockey team won the gold medal at the 1998 Nagano Olympics by securing upset victories against powerhouse teams from Canada and Russia.1

The team's success was largely attributed to the exceptional performance of their goaltender, Dominik Hašek, whose play was instrumental in the team's surprise tournament victory. Hašek recorded a 0.97 goals-against average (GAA) throughout the Games, anchoring a defense that helped the Czech Republic overcome opponents featuring many of the world's top professional players.234

The 1998 Games were historic as they marked the first time professional athletes from the NHL were permitted to compete in the Olympic tournament following a 1995 agreement between the NHL, the NHL Players’ Association, and the IIHF. This shift toward "best-on-best" competition highlighted the significance of the Czech team's achievement in a field filled with international stars.15