They left reeking of cigars and champagne, having taken a phone call from the president and having brought the sport of hockey to its greatest height south of the Canadian border in 46 years.

These 25 men, for the rest of their lives, will be telling the story of what played out on Sunday afternoon.

So too will the rest of us.

Team USA is atop the hockey world, owners of its third-ever gold medal in men’s hockey just days after the American women took gold on the same ice.

It took a gut-wrenching, heart-pounding and forever-memorable final that ended 2-1 in overtime over the mighty Canadians, and tears hit the floor the second the goal-horn sounded.

At 1:41 of overtime, Zach Werenski fed Jack Hughes on the break, and Hughes authored a moment that will live on in American sports lore forever, lashing a shot past Jordan Binnington for the golden goal.

“He’s a freaking gamer,” Quinn Hughes said of his younger brother. “He’s always been a bigger gamer. Just mentally tough. Been through a lot, loves the game.

“American hero.”

Team USA poured onto the ice in hugs and tears.

Matthew Tkachuk and Charlie McAvoy leaped into each other’s arms.

Johnny Gaudreau’s jersey was brought out for the team photo.

Then the young children of the late Blue Jackets superstar brought out, too.

“I think there’s so much to be proud of, being from the United States,” defenseman Brock Faber said. “A win like this, hopefully it brings a whole lot of people together.”

For much of the afternoon, the outcome looked tenuous at best.

Canada dominated the run of play up until the game’s decisive moments began to play out with 6 ½ minutes left in regulation.

Sam Bennett caught Jack Hughes with a high stick and drew blood, handing the United States a four-minute power play when it desperately needed some kind of offensive momentum.

Instead of getting any, the U.S. did little at 5-on-4, then negated the last minute-plus of the power play when Jack Hughes was called for a high stick on Bo Horvat.

“I pictured myself on Barstool,” Hughes said, “being the guy America hates ’cause Canada scored on the power play.”

The U.S. killed off the penalty and trudged into the first overtime in a gold medal game since Canada and Sidney Crosby beat the U.S. in 2010.

Then Hughes delivered America a forever highlight.

“I can’t wait to see the footage of what happened after we scored,” Charlie McAvoy said, “because it was a complete blackout. Who I was hugging, where I was going, I don’t even know what happened. I got cut [on my face]. It was just euphoria, man. I can’t even explain what I was feeling. Just pure joy.”

Twice in the first 10 minutes of the third, Canada had an open net from Connor Hellebuyck’s left post.

The first time, Devon Toews’ shot went through the crease, but not into the goal thanks to an otherworldly stick save from Hellebuyck; the second time, Nathan MacKinnon hit the post.

Those were the moments that will play out in Canadian nightmares.

Team USA leaned heavily on Auston Matthews’ line to match with Connor McDavid, Macklin Celebrini and Nathan MacKinnon.

That decision paid off early for coach Mike Sullivan, as a Matthews backcheck broke up a prime Celebrini scoring chance off the rush, and as Matt Boldy stamped himself onto highlight reels by skating through Toews for a backhand finish that gave the Americans a 1-0 lead — on their first shot of the game — 6:00 in.

The pace was frenetic, the physicality bruising, right from Tom Wilson attempting to take Dylan Larkin’s head off in the opening minutes.

For those who watched the 4 Nations Face-Off final a year ago, the tone of the game felt similar but exaggerated.

Team USA leaned heavily on its defensive structure and ceded the majority of possession, opting instead to try to lean on its structure.

Hellebuyck, all game long, kept the U.S. in it.

He turned aside McDavid and Celebrini on breakaways in the second and third periods, respectively.

He helped the Americans kill off a 93-second 5-on-3 in the second to keep intact a perfect penalty kill at the Olympics.

He finished with an outrageous 41 saves, putting to permanent rest any questions about his ability in big games, with Cale Makar’s tying goal from the right circle at 18:16 the only blemish.

“The second I woke up this morning,” Hellebuyck said, “I felt I was doing everything right. I was stepping in the right spot. Every step I took it felt right. It kinda translated.”