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by Dave Eid,WGME
PORTLAND (WGME) — Sports fans all over the country are still basking in the glow of Sunday's gold medal men's hockey game between the U.S. and Canada.
Jack Hughes’ overtime goal helped Team USA to its first gold medal in men's hockey since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team, but it was goalie Connor Hellebuyck's amazing performance in net that paved the way for Team USA.
A Mainer has been a mentor to Hellebuyck long before they dropped the puck in Milan.
Augusta native Joe Clark has been coaching and mentoring Hellebuyck for the past 15 years.
"He and I hit it off right away. We just meshed and we just fed the dragon. He was an unbelievable talent, but his brain is what sets him apart from everyone else," Clark said.
Watching Hellebuyck's 41-save masterpiece to beat Canada for the gold may have surprised some fans, but not his biggest one.
"The Olympics, watching him and as soon as I saw him, I could just tell, it’s hard to describe how he plays, I know when his energy is really, really good, he's right on," Clark said. "And he saved the best for last."
Once Hughes fired home the game winner, Clark could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"We're all just so happy for him, and he's earned it, and he's made America proud," Clark said.
Clark is currently battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma but is thankfully doing well, and his prognosis is very good.
He started his hockey career playing for Cony.
He also served as an assistant coach under the legendary Norm Gagne at Gardiner, and then in 1986, he got a call from the late great Shawn Walsh and joined an all-star coaching staff at the University of Maine.
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