MILAN - US star Ilia Malinin saw off a resurgent Japan with a pulsating routine to keep the Olympic team figure skating gold in American hands.
Malinin came top in the men's free skating final in Milan with Japan taking silver and host nation Italy claiming an emotional bronze after three days of competition.
The 21-year-old, in his first Olympics, will go into the individual event with one gold medal already in his pocket.
"We came here to do one job and we achieved it," said Malinin.
"I came in and said I'm the deciding factor, I just need to go out there and test the ice again to see how it feels and prepare myself for the indivdual event.
"I knew it was going to be a tie-breaker... and it went exactly the way I wanted. I'm so thankful for that.
"It came down to the energy, the support, the passion from my whole team."
The United States finished with 69 points with Japan scoring 68 and Italy medalling for the first time in the team event with 60.
Going into the final round, the Japanese and the Americans had been neck and neck, but Japan were ahead having won more routines.
The title came down to Malinin, a two-time world champion who has been unbeaten in competition in over two years.
"I was so much more nervous watching Ilia than skating myself," said veteran pairs skater Danny O'Shea, who is competing in his first Olympics aged 34 with partner Ellie Kam, and who placed fourth in their section.
Malinin had finished second behind Japan's Yuma Kagiyama in Saturday's men's short programme.
Watched by tennis great Novak Djokovic, Malinin scored 200.03 to push Sato into second place with 194.86.
“It was so unreal," Malinin said.