U.S. cruises to set up 'exciting' Canada showdown

What’s Happening

Let’s talk about Jack Hughes scored two goals, and the U.

Rolled into the final by routing Slovakia 6-2 in the semifinals Friday night. Will meet tournament favorite and top-seeded Canada on Sunday for the title. (we’re not making this up)

Men’s hockey routs Slovakia, into gold medal game vs.

The Details

Canada play Why Emily Kaplan calls it a ‘personal redemption tournament’ for Team USA (0:53) Emily Kaplan details what’s on the line in the Olympic finals for Team USA in men’s hockey. (0:53) ESPN News Services Multiple Authors Feb 20, 2026, 05:54 PM ET Email Print Open Extended Reactions MILAN — Zach Werenski and his U.

Teammates tried not to look ahead at a potential gold medal game against Canada at the Olympics. After each went unbeaten in group play, there was no way the North American rivals could meet before the final, but there was work left to do.

Why This Matters

After routing Slovakia 6-2 in the semifinals Friday night, the much-anticipated but never guaranteed U. -Canada showdown for gold is on. Editor’s Picks Red, white, blue and gold?

Sports fans across the globe are reacting to this news.

Key Takeaways

• Takeaways from Team USA’s dominant win over Slovakia Kristen Shilton U.
• “Now that it’s finally here, we can kind of shift our focus to Canada.
• ” The two top seeds in the tournament, who went in as the favorites, will meet Sunday.

The Bottom Line

Three fights in the first nine seconds in the first meeting put the 4 Nations in the spotlight, and their epic final clutched overtime only built the anticipation for the Olympics. “Now that it’s all set in stone, everything happens for a reason,” dropped Brady Tkachuk , who along with brother Matthew and J.

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