We all wanted it. Well, we got it.
Canada will face the United States for the gold medal in the final event of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy.
Canada (3-0-0) vs. United States (3-0-0)
Location: Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena (Milan, Italy)
Time: 6:10 A.M. MST/8:10 A.M. EST
Watch: NBC/Peacock (US National Broadcast), CBC (Canadian National Broadcast)
Canada – How Did We Get Here?
With NHL players returning to the Olympics for the first time in twelve years, Canada didn’t waste any time in loading up its roster with premier talent. The entire lineup is
stacked with multiple Stanley Cup champions, goal-scoring threats up and down each line, and a defense that is certainly the envy of every nation competing in Milan.
The Colorado Avalanche have healthy representation on Canada’s roster. Nathan MacKinnon has been centering Canada’s second line, while Devon Toews and Cale Makar have been Canada’s top defensive pair. The trio has combined for six goals and seven assists for a total of fourteen points coming into the gold medal game.
Led by captain Sidney Crosby, who is competing in his third Olympics, Canada outscored its opponents in Group A by a combined total of 20-2, easily claiming a “bye” in the qualification round. During Canada’s quarterfinal game against Czechia, MacKinnon was noticeably under the weather in this contest, but that didn’t stop him from laying a solid hit on Avalanche linemate Martin Nečas and scoring the game-tying goal in the second period. Mitch Marner (Vegas Golden Knights) scored the game winning goal to send Canada to the semifinal round. Crosby, however, did not finish the game after suffering a lower body injury.
With Crosby out of the lineup, head coach Jon Cooper (Tampa Bay Lightning) shuffled his lines, placing Nick Suzuki (Montréal Canadiens) at center on the third line and Bo Horvat (New York Islanders) on MacKinnon’s wing. Facing off against fellow Avalanche teammates Artturi Lehkonen and Joel Kiviranta (and former linemate Mikko Rantanen), MacKinnon drew a high sticking penalty in the final minutes of the contest to put Canada on the power play, scoring the game winner with less than thirty seconds in regulation. After Canada’s team practice today, Cooper did say that Crosby did skate during practice, but he will be a “game time decision” for tomorrow’s contest. Even if there’s the slightest chance that Crosby can play, it’s nearly impossible to think that he won’t be in the lineup.
As the top seed in the Olympic tournament, Canada will have the last roster change, so Cooper will be able to dictate the match-ups to benefit his roster.
This will be the third time that Canada has faced the United States in head-to-head Olympic play. A gold medal victory will be their first since the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where Crosby scored the game-winning goal.
“Oh, Canada!”
Projected Lineup
Forwards:
Macklin Celebrini (SJ) – Connor McDavid (EDM) – Tom Wilson (WSH)
Brandon Hagel (TBL) – Nathan MacKinnon (COL) – Nick Suzuki (MTL)
Mitch Marner (VGK) – Sidney Crosby (PIT)* – Mark Stone (VGK)
Brad Marchand (FLA) – Bo Horvat (NYI) – Sam Reinhart (FLA)
Seth Jarvis (CAR)
Defense:
Devon Toews (COL) – Cale Makar (COL)
Thomas Harley (DAL) – Colton Parayko (STL)
Travis Sanheim (PHI) – Drew Doughty (LA)
Shea Theodore (VGK)
Between the Pipes:
Jordan Binnington (STL)
Logan Thompson (WSH)
*Game Time Decision
United States – How Did We Get Here?
The United States may not boast the level of firepower as their Canadian counterparts, but they certainly didn’t have any trouble during group play as they outscored their opponents 16-5 to earn a “bye” for the qualification round. Head coach Mike Sullivan (New York Rangers) has opted to slot Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights) as his top center, and paired Brady and Matthew Tkachuck (Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers, respectively) as first line wingers. If there was ever a thought that Canada’s Tom Wilson (Washington Capitals) might consider playing on the edge of physical hockey allowed in international play against his squad, Sullivan has insulated Eichel with two players who won’t—and haven’t—hesitated to bring their own flavor of physical play to the forefront. They have also shown they can put up points: both have combined for three goals and eight assists for eleven points thus far.
While there were some questions about some of the decisions that United States General Manager Bill Guerin (Minnesota Wild) made in assembling his roster, the addition of defenseman Quinn Hughes (Minnesota Wild), certainly isn’t one of them. Having missed last year’s Four Nation’s Face-Off, Hughes has made an immediate impact for the United States. Coming into the gold medal game, Hughes leads all skaters with seven points, and his overtime goal against Sweden (captained by Colorado Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog, who was defending him on the play) sent the United States into the semifinal round against Slovakia, a game that would see them win by a score of 6-2.
Brock Nelson is the lone representative from the Avalanche on the roster. His inclusion continues a family legacy that is steeped in the greatest on-ice successes for the United States. His grandfather, Bill Christian, and his great uncle, Roger Christian, won the very first gold medal for the United States in the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley. Nelson’s uncle, Dave Christian, won gold at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. To his credit, Nelson has two goals and one assist as he prepares to add a third gold medal to his family’s legacy.
Coming into the gold medal contest, the United States has not allowed a power play goal throughout the Olympic tournament. Keeping Canada off the power play would be ideal, but having a solid penalty killing unit will go a long way in keeping such a high-powered offense limited.
Today’s contest marks the first time since 2010 that the United States has the chance to win an Olympic medal. They previously won silver at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
It’s also noteworthy, despite having lost three straight games in head-t0-head matchups against Canada, that the gold medal game is taking place exactly one year after the loss at the Four Nations tournament, and forty-six years after the Miracle on Ice.
As the Cigarette-Smoking Man in The X-Files once said, “What’s the matter? Don’t you believe in miracles?”
Projected Lineup
Forwards:
Brady Tkachuk (OTT) – Jack Eichel (VGK) – M. Tkachuk (FLA)
Jake Guentzel (TBL) – Auston Matthews (TOR) – Matt Boldy (MIN)
Jack Hughes (NJD) – Dylan Larkin (DET) – Tage Thompson (BUF)
J.T. Miller (NYR) – Brock Nelson (COL) – Vincent Trocheck (NYR)
Clayton Keller (UTA)
Defense:
Quinn Hughes (MIN) – Charlie McAvoy (BOS)
Jaccob Slavin (CAR) – Brock Faber (MIN)
Zach Werenski (CBJ) – Jake Sanderson (OTT)
Noah Hanifin (VGK)
Between the Pipes:
Connor Hellebuyck (WPG)
Jeremy Swayman (BOS)
