Team USA entered the tournament as underdogs. They had a "terrific" start to the Olympics but in the championship round had to face Canada and the Soviet Union back to back. The Canadians had dominated the Americans registering a 15–2–2 record in World Championship and Olympic play between 1920 and 1959. However, the United States upset Canada 2–1. Team USA next played the Soviet Union. Similar to the Canadians the Soviets held a 5–0 record against the US leading up to the tournament, outscoring the Americans 21–5 in those games. Team USA pulled off its second straight upset defeating the Soviets 3–2. In their final game the Americans faced Czechoslovakia. A win would give the US the gold, but a loss meant that they would receive silver with the Canadians taking the gold medal. After two periods of play, Team USA trailed 4–3. They rallied with six third period goals to win the game 9–4, earning the United States its first Olympic gold medal in ice hockey. After the medal presentation Kirrane received a congratulatory telegram from fellow Brookline native John F. Kennedy, then a US Senator. When he returned home Kirrane was taken from the airport on top of a firetruck, and a banquet was held in his honor at the Brookline High gym.