It’s absolutely gut-wrenching to watch a veteran pour his heart out on the ice, only to come up just short.

Team USA has officially secured the Olympic gold medal, defeating Team Canada 2-1 in a completely breathless overtime thriller.

Which had left former Boston Bruins captain and current Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand with a devastating loss, something that took a heavy emotional toll.

As the Americans swarmed the ice to celebrate their first Olympic men's hockey gold since 1980, Marchand was left in tears, completely heartbroken by the sudden-death defeat.

This was widely expected to be the 37-year-old’s final opportunity to capture Olympic glory. The raw emotion he displayed is a testament to exactly how much pulling on that Team Canada sweater means to him.

Brad Marchand dealt devastating end to a gruelling tournament

The transition game was agonizingly tight throughout the entire contest. Both heavyweight nations relied heavily on flawless defensive zone coverage and elite goaltending.

After grinding through a tense 1-1 regulation tie, the Americans ultimately found the back of the net in overtime, abruptly ending the border battle as Jack Hughes netted the game winning goal.

Over his NHL career, "Marchy" has won a Stanley Cup and thrived as the ultimate competitor. While it is brutally hard to watch a legend cry, there is absolutely no shame in losing a 2-1 overtime classic to a deeply talented American squad.

Solid execution won the day, but the sheer passion from the Canadian side won't be forgotten.

The NHL season will resume shortly, and Marchand will have to pivot his focus back to a Stanley Cup push with Florida.