It was no secret who the fans at Prudential Center were waiting to welcome home Wednesday night.
The crowd was holding its breath for one particular player to show up on the ice and they didn’t hold back once Jack Hughes appeared in his home arena following his historic game-winner in Milan.
Hughes was welcomed with a “USA” chant that thundered through the arena. Fans — some clad in USA jerseys and holding homemade USA signs and American flags — gave a standing ovation before the puck drop for the Devils’ first game since the Olympic break.
Before restarting the NHL season against the Sabres, Prudential Center first dimmed the lights and honored their American hero.
The jumbotron replayed the thrilling gold-medal winning overtime goal over Canada to give Team USA their first Olympic gold medal since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice.” Hughes received huge cheers as he did a lap around the ice, grabbing Team USA teammate and the Sabres’ Tage Thompson, and took the mic before giving a brief speech.
“I’m so proud and I’m so happy that the men’s and women’s USA hockey teams brought the gold medals back,” Hughes said. “I’m pretty emotional, but I’m so proud to represent the New Jersey Devils and I’m so proud to represent the great state of New Jersey. From the bottom of my heart, all of my teammates, my Team USA teammates, I just want to thank you guys.”
It was only fitting following the 24-year-old’s Olympic performance.
“They are all excited to see him,” Jonas Siegenthaler, who played for Switzerland in the Milan Cortina Games, told The Post on Wednesday morning. “He’s going to get a lot of credit from the fans. We’ll be there as well and it will be cool to spend it with him. We’re happy for him and excited to see him.”
After getting multiple front teeth knocked out when taking a high stick to the face during the third period of the gold medal game, Hughes got his revenge during the 3-on-3 overtime period, slicing a wrist shot between Canada’s Jordan Binnington’s legs into the net.
It couldn’t have been scripted any better.
“I mean, it’s probably the coolest moment for him,” Siegenthaler said. “You don’t score that goal every day. OT, Olympic gold medal game — I think it’s really special. He showed the player he is all tournament. I think his whole performance was really good during the Olympics. I think everybody in this room is proud of him and happy for him.”
“For Jack to score that goal, I think that’s incredible,” Timo Meier, who also represented Switzerland, added. “He must have had a couple of exciting days, for sure.”
The aftermath included a flight to Miami to avoid the snowstorm along the East Coast. Team USA had no problem partying there. Later on, Hughes and several of his teammates visited Washington after President Donald Trump invited the team to the White House while on a postgame locker room phone call.
The team also attended Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night where the president also presented goalie Connor Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Wednesday night, the Devils placed a take-home signed card on each seat, picturing Hughes holding the American flag that read “Made in Jersey.” Team USA’s beer sponsor Michelob Ultra was selling for $8.60 in the arena in honor of Hughes’ jersey number. And per the Devils’ business office, there’s been a big jump in ticket sales since Hughes’ historic moment.
His homecoming was only expected to continue the celebration.