The USA women's hockey team was pointedly given a moment to shine on Saturday Night Live, capping a week of outrage over Donald Trump's comments regarding their Winter Olympics success. Guest host Connor Storrie, star of Heated Rivalry, first welcomed USA men's heroes Jack and Quinn Hughes during his opening monologue, before women's gold medal winners Hilary Knight and Megan Keller joined moments later to huge cheers from the audience.
Trump's State of the Union Invite Sparks Controversy
After the USA men beat Canada in overtime in last Sunday's final, Trump called them in the locker room with an invitation to the State of the Union address. He then joked that he had to invite the gold medal-winning women's team as well, or he would face impeachment. The President's remark was met with laughter from the men's team, drawing significant criticism throughout the week. However, on Saturday Night Live, the women ultimately had the last laugh.
A Center Stage Moment for the Women's Team
As Knight and Keller walked out onto the stage, the Hughes brothers stepped aside to allow them to stand in the center with Storrie, after he had humorously noted that no famous hockey players had watched his Heated Rivalry show. 'Don't worry, we saw your show,' Keller said, prompting more huge cheers from the audience. When Storrie thanked them for joining, Knight quipped: 'It was gonna be just us but we thought we'd invite the guys too.'
Keller then nudged Quinn Hughes as she added: 'Yeah, we thought we'd give them a little moment to shine.' Storrie explained that his show 'speaks to people who are not always represented in hockey', setting up another joke about the disproportionate attention the USA men received this week for their success.
Witty Banter Highlights Team Dynamics
'The last time the men did that (win gold) was 46 years ago,' Quinn said, before Knight added: 'And the last time we did that was two whole Olympics ago.' Jack Hughes then rounded out the segment by stating: 'Nice burn but these gold medals aren't just for us. They are for all hockey fans,' before turning to Storrie and saying: 'Yours too.'
State of the Union Attendance and Presidential Honors
The women's team did not attend the State of the Union on Tuesday night, but the men did and were praised by Trump when he brought them out to celebrate their victory. Later in the show, the women's decision to snub Trump was referenced and received massive cheers from the audience. Additionally, Trump announced he was awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to USA goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, the team's star player in the win over Canada in Italy last week.
This episode of Saturday Night Live not only provided entertainment but also underscored the ongoing discussions about gender representation and recognition in sports, particularly in the wake of political commentary.
