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The free bird flies high in Milan.
The United States Olympic men’s hockey team dominated Slovakia from start to finish on Friday, winning 6-2 to set up a gold medal game against archrival Canada.
Dylan Larkin started the scoring early in the game, and Tage Thompson found the back of the net in the final moments of the first to put the Americans up 2-0.
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Jack Hughes (86) of the United States celebrates after scoring his second goal of the game against Slovakia during the second period of a men’s ice hockey semifinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)
But it was the second period that dominated. Jack Hughes and Jack Eichel scored within 19 seconds of each other, and Hughes scored again later to make the game 5-0. In the third, Brady Tkachuk added another for good measure.
This will be the first time the Americans will play for gold since 2010, when they lost in overtime to Canada in Vancouver. Canada, which won three gold medals in Olympic Games involving NHL players (1998-2014), clinched its spot in the gold medal game after rallying from a 2-0 deficit against Finland on Friday.
Jack Eichel (9) of the United States celebrates after scoring a goal against Slovakia during the second period of a men’s ice hockey semifinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)
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Looking ahead, the rivalry between the United States and Canada is one that, to put it bluntly, has been owned by Canada. This will be the eighth time the United States and Canada will play for Olympic gold, and the only time the Americans won was in 1960. They also met for gold in 1920, 1924, 1932, 1952, 2002 and 2010. In the best-versus-best format, the United States is 5-15-1, with three of those victories coming in the World Cup of Hockey in 1996.
These two teams are already very familiar with each other, as both squads are largely made up of the same members as last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, where three fights occurred in the first nine seconds in the first game between the countries’ best in nine years.
Tensions between both teams and fans were through the roof in that tournament, fresh after President Donald Trump’s comments about the “51st state.” Canada finally won the 4 Nations against the United States in an overtime thriller.
But this is the real big stage, and the Americans are seeking not only revenge but bragging rights for four years.
Jack Eichel, center, of the United States, celebrates with Brock Faber (14) and Jaccob Slavin (74) after Eichel scored a goal against Slovakia during the second period of a men’s ice hockey semifinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)
The gold medal game will take place on Sunday (46th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice”) at 8:10 a.m. ET.
