PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — One of the primary concerns before the Pyeongchang Olympics was that the weather would be too cold for anyone to feel comfortable. Even by Minnesota standards, it was frigid, with wind chills dropping to the double digits below zero in the small South Korean towns tucked between the mountains and the sea.

The weather, as it turned out, was no match for the hosts. Pyeongchang closed one of the more gracious, efficient and warmhearted Olympics in recent memory Sunday, ending South Korea’s first Winter Games with a joyous celebration of a job well done.

Jessie Diggins, of Afton, Minnesota, who won the first cross-country skiing gold medal ever for the United States, was among athletes from 92 nations who paraded their flags one last time before saying goodbye. It seemed fitting that the mountain temperature was higher than it had been in days, on a night when thousands of athletes and visitors thanked Pyeongchang for its hospitality.

“Thank you for warming our hearts, even in the coldest temperatures,” said International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach in his closing speech.

Russia stuns Germany

Russia rallied from 3-2 down to Germany in the third period of the gold medal men’s hockey match, scoring a short-handed goal with less than a minute left, then winning in overtime, 4-3. Nikita Gusev had two goals for Russia, known at these games as “Olympic Athletes from Russia.” It was the first gold for Russian players in the event since 1992, when Russia played as the Unified Team.

“Since I was 5 years old, when I started to play hockey, this was the dream of my late father; this was my dream,” said Ilya Kovalchuk, the tournament’s MVP.

8th gold for Bjorgen

Marit Bjorgen of Norway powered away from the field and won the women’s mass start cross-country ski race by almost two minutes. It was the eighth gold medal and 15th medal overall for Bjorgen, 37.

The eight gold medals equaled the record held by two other Norwegians, Ole Bjoerndalen in biathlon and Bjoern Daehlie in cross-country. The 15 medals is the record.