With the U.S. Women’s team already enjoying their gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, the Team USA Men’s team will collide with Team Canada in the much-anticipated heavyweight battle for the gold medal Sunday.
Team USA easily handled Slovakia 6-2 at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
The U.S. has not won gold since a scrappy group of college players led by coach Herb Brooks upset one of the greatest teams in hockey history, the vaunted Soviet Union, in 1980; the game that became known as the Miracle on Ice.
The U.S. has won a couple of times since the NHL began sending players to the Olympics, but the Americans have never won when NHL players are included. The oh-so-close moments, including losing to Canada in 2002 and again in 2010 behind Sidney Crosby’s overtime “golden goal” in Vancouver.
Friday, the second-seeded USA set the tone early against their opponent, the third-seeded Slovakia. Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin streaked into the offensive zone one-on-two, but still ripped a wrist shot past Slovakia goalie Samuel Hlavaj just 4:19 into the game.
Hlavaj is in the Minnesota Wild organization and is playing for the Iowa Wild.
Late in the first period, Team USA scored a power play goal for a 2-0 lead. Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson blasted a one-timer from the left circle into a very small space over Hlavaj’s shoulder but under the crossbar. The 6-foot-6 Thompson stapped into the one-timer at 19:19 of the first period.
Later in the second period, the USA broke open the game.
New Jersey Devils star center Jack Hughes danced around the offensive zone, playing with the puck like it was on a string. After skirting a couple of defenders, Hughes whipped a wrist shot with 7:46 remaining in the second.
Just 19 seconds later, Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel put the dagger in Latvia with a goal in front with 7:27 remaining in the second period.
Latvia swapped goalies to Slovakian league goalie Stanislav Škorvánek, but it made little difference.
J. Hughes struck again with 1:36 remaining in the second period. Zach Werenski’s shot sailed wide of the net but caromed off the back wall to Hughes in the left circle. Hughes played the bounce perfectly with a quick shot into the yawning cage before Škorvánek could move laterally to take away the near post.
Brady Tkachuk converted his second breakaway of the third period when he deked backhand with 9:08 remaining to give the US a 6-1 lead.
Early in the third period, Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slavkovsky scored the first goal for Latvia, following a miscue between USA goalie Connor Hellebuyck and his defensemen. Pavol Regenda converted a point-blank chance long after the competitiveness had left the game, snapping a wrister past Hellebuyck with 6:43 remaining.
Hellebuyck stopped 22 of 24 shots. The USA registered 39 on goal.
Earlier Friday, Canada outlasted Finland in a controversial 3-2 win to advance to the championship round. Canada has won the last two Olympic Games that involved NHL players, winning gold in 2010 and 2014. Canada also won in 2002.
Team USA Notes
Shortly before Hughes’s first goal, referees waived off a would-be American tally due to what refs ruled was Jake Guentzel’s distinct kicking motion.
As expected, the shots remained lopsided in the Americans’ favor. The plucky Latvians kept the game close until the late explosion, but the shot clock after 40 minutes was 26-13 for the USA.
The three second-period goals were on shots 22, 23, and 24, while the USA allowed just 10 shots to that point.
Thompson, who had a goal and an assist, was not on the bench for the third period due to an injury. The team announced they held out Thompson for “precautionary” reasons in the lopsided game.
The gold medal game is at 8:10 a.m. Sunday, Eastern time. NBC and its streaming service Peacock will air the game.
Slovakia will meet Team Finland for the bronze medal Saturday.
