Men’s gold-medal game
8:10 A.M. ET
CAN
0
USA
1
02/22/26 09:10Nathan MacKinnon, Devon Toews almost equal in ice time after first period
– Grant Robertson
Nathan MacKinnon of Team Canada controls the puck against Quinn Hughes of Team United States in the first period of the men’s gold-medal match.Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Nathan MacKinnon led all Canadian forwards with 7:49 in ice time in the first period, only a second behind defenceman Devon Toews, who saw the most with 7:50. American defenceman Quinn Hughes is leading the game after one period with 8:08 in ice time.
How both teams deploy their lines in the second and third periods will be something to watch. Coach Jon Cooper likes to juggle Canada’s lines to shake up a game, so it could get interesting.
02/22/26 09:08A shaky defence for Canada can still turn it around
– Gary Mason
Canada’s Sam Bennett challenges during the men’s hockey gold-medal game.Hassan Ammar/The Associated Press
Okay, the coffee is starting to kick in and everyone is feeling a bit more alive here at the Globe watch party in Tsawwassen, B.C. – also known as my place, with my wife and I – and we’re not feeling too badly about the start of this game despite the 1-0 score in favour of the U.S.
One concern I have is our defence, which looks shaky and has coughed the puck up on several occasions against the least bit of pressure by the American forwards. They need to be more resolute and less panicky.
As this game goes on, the absence of such a veteran, steadying force as Sidney Crosby could become a big factor. Just having him on the bench is worth a lot in a big-pressure game like this one. Not having him there means a lot.
On the other hand, winning without him will also mean a lot. It will be the official passing of the torch to players such as Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon.
Canada fought off a penalty against them and should expect they’ll get the man advantage at some point, maybe in this second period. Here’s hoping.
02/22/26 09:04Friends and families from across GTA travelled to Scotiabank for watch party
– Samantha Edwards
From left, Ari Dhalia, Matthew Thatton, Andrew Thatton, Andrew Zorjav and Cooper LaPlante at the gold-medal watch party at Scotiabank Arena.Samantha Edwards/The Globe and Mail
Friends Andre Zorjav, Ari Dhalia, Andrew Thatton, Matthew Thatton and Cooper LaPlante, all 16, took an Uber from Milton early this morning to watch the game on the big screen at Scotiabank Arena. They were determined to get tickets when Canada made it to the gold-medal game.
Thatton, wearing a Sidney Crosby jersey, was bummed that the captain wouldn’t be playing in today’s game because of an injury. “We heard the news on the way down,” he said.
“I’m still feeling confident – and nervous,” said LaPlante.
The Lozons family from Wallaceburg, Ont., had already planned a multigenerational trip to Toronto for the weekend with grandparents, children and grandchildren, including 10 kids under 10. Watching the men’s final at Scotiabank Arena is the cherry on top.
The Lozons family from Wallaceburg, Ont. attends the 2026 Olympic gold-medal hockey game watch party at Scotiabank Arena.Samantha Edwards/The Globe and Mail
02/22/26 09:01Fans still boisterous at Scotiabank Arena after end of tense first period
– Samantha Edwards
At the Scotiabank Arena, the lower bowl is a sea of red, white and black, with a smattering of Crosby and Maple Leafs jerseys. “Let’s go Canada” chants erupt simultaneously, and even louder cheers every time Canada lands a big hit against an American.
Down 1-0 at the end of the first period, the energy inside is tense but still feeling boisterous.
Surprisingly – or maybe not because it’s still early – the beer lines have been short.
02/22/26 08:53First period over with U.S. leading 1-0
– Jamie Ross
USA’s Connor Hellebuyck (C) saves the puck during the men’s gold-medal match.Pool/Getty Images
The ice was titled in the United States’ favour for the first two minutes, but it was quickly rebalanced and play went back and forth until Boldy’s goal.
Canada pressed for an equalizer several times, with the line of Macklin Celebrini, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon leading the way.
USA added some extra pressure on a late power play, but the game remained 1-0 after one period. American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck turned aside all eight Canadian shots he faced.
02/22/26 08:51Canada-U.S. is always a tight game, none more so than the 2014 semi-finals
– Grant Robertson
U.S. Patrick Kane Ii (L) tries to score in front of Canada’s goalkeeper Carey Price during the men’s hockey semi-final match between the USA and Canada during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 21, 2014.JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/Getty Images
High-stakes Canada-U.S games are usually close ones. Vancouver 2010 needed overtime and Sidney Crosby’s golden goal. Last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off was also won in overtime, with Connor McDavid scoring that historic marker. But the game I think about a lot is the semi-final at 2014 Sochi where Canada beat the U.S. 1-0 in a game that could have gone either way on a bounce. That was probably the most perfect hockey game I’ve personally ever seen live. It felt like neither team made a mistake. The lone goal came in the second period when defenceman Jay Bouwmeester, on a set play, intentionally put a point shot wide where Jamie Benn deflected it past U.S. goalie Jonathan Quick.
Canada beat Sweden 3-0 in the gold medal game and because of that Sochi seemed like an easier tournament for Canada than Vancouver. But that’s only if you forget how close the semi-final against the U.S. actually was. Without that one play being executed perfectly, there may have been no beating Quick and history may be different.
02/22/26 08:45Ottawa fans show up early to cheer on Canada
– Kristy Kirkup
Enthusiastic hockey fans in Ottawa have gathered again at the Craft Beer Market for a watch party. General manager Jordan Kruz said some people lined up to enter at 5:30 a.m.
Earlier this week, Craft hosted a similar event for the Olympic women’s hockey final that ended in heartbreak, with the Canadians losing 2-1 to the U.S. in overtime.
Spectators here today, many of them sporting red and some with painted faces, have packed into the restaurant to watch the men’s game and eat breakfast including eggs, sausage and fruit.
At the beginning of the game, fans cheered loudly in the room. It has grown quieter now with the score at 1-0 for the Americans.
Beer is also being served this morning after Ontario Premier Doug Ford approved alcohol sales beginning at 6 a.m. because of the men’s hockey final.
02/22/26 08:42First penalty call, against Canada
– Jamie Ross
Canada takes the first penalty of the game. Shea Theodore was called for hooking against American forward Brock Nelson with a little less than three minutes to play in the first period.
02/22/26 08:37NHL-style play on an Olympic-sized rink
– Grant Robertson
Matt Boldy of Team United States controls the puck against Cale Makar of Team Canada in the first period.Elsa/Getty Images
With high-stakes and NHL rosters, it should be no surprise this looks a lot like an NHL playoff game. Both teams are playing three guys back at times, stacking two defencemen and a forward along the blueline.
No one’s taking any chances with a smaller neutral zone in Milan, which is three feet shorter than an NHL rink because of different international dimensions that the International Ice Hockey Federation chose to use for these Olympics.
02/22/26 08:31American Matt Boldy making a name for himself
– Gary Mason
Matt Boldy of Team United States celebrates after scoring a goal in the first period.Elsa/Getty Images
Not the ideal start. American Matt Boldy – not a household name in Canada at least – skates through the Team Canada defence and beats goalie Jordan Binnington with a deke we’d love to see our goalie make the save on.
Hey, we’re behind. And it’s early. So, no time to panic. Rather, time to order another beer for many. I’ll hold off for now. It’s barely 5:30 a.m. But the Baileys shots could start soon if the States get many more in this period.
02/22/26 08:26The Scotiabank watch party is rolling
– Samantha Edwards
Fans react to Team Canada vs Team U.S.A at Scotiabank Arena’s watch party.Sarah Espedido/The Globe and Mail
Hi, I’m Samantha Edwards, reporting live from the Scotiabank Arena where they’re broadcasting the game on the big screen. Beer, caesars, bacon-wrapped hot dogs and breakfast sandwiches are on the menu this early Sunday morning. Every time the Americans are shown on screen, a steady boo erupts across the arena.
02/22/26 08:25The extra intensity behind this Canada-U.S. hockey game
– Gary Mason
Hi, it’s columnist Gary Mason in Vancouver and I’m watching the gold-medal hockey game along with most of the country, I suspect. It’s just after 5 a.m. on the West Coast but when I looked outside I already saw a number of lights on in living rooms around the neighbourhood.
After the battle that was the 4 Nations Face-Off, and the thrilling overtime finish that ended in our favour, I can’t wait for this game because I suspect it will be pretty much the same. A war to the bitter end. Although I don’t think there will be the same fisticuffs to start the contest, I think it will be chippy.
You can’t consider this game without regarding the political context. It’s hanging over the matchup. So is the loathsome shadow of Donald Trump.
Let’s face it, this game means a bit more. We want this win more than others, although any time these two teams face off it’s intense.
I have watched most of these players taking to the ice since they (or at least many of them) were in the World Juniors. It seemed inevitable they would battle each other again at this greater stage. Here we go. Can’t wait.
02/22/26 08:21U.S. scores
– Jamie Ross
Matt Boldy of United States scores first goal past Jordan Binnington of Canada.David W Cerny/Reuters
The United States open the scoring six minutes into the game when Matt Boldy chipped the puck past the Canadian defender Devon Toews and collected it himself, before tucking a backhand underneath Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington.
1-0 United States.
02/22/26 08:18How these teams line up against each other
– Grant Robertson
Canada’s Cale Makar, left, challenges with United States’ Jack Eichel during men’s ice hockey gold-medal game between Canada and the United State.Mike Segar/The Associated Press
To break down this matchup in the simplest terms possible: Canada has some of the best forwards the game has ever seen in Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, though the latter appears to be nursing an injury to his leg.
The U.S. has the best blueline in the tournament with a defence corps that would be the envy of any country. Canadian Cale Makar can match Quinn Hughes for skill and offence, but the U.S. has possibly the best shutdown defender in the NHL in Jaccob Slavin.
When Slavin is doing his job, he isn’t noticeable the way superstars are, but when you see a blocked shot or a play dissolve in the offensive zone, he’s usually the reason.
02/22/26 08:09Despite the doubts, Binnington seems built for big games
– Grant Robertson
Jordan Binnington of Team Canada walks out to the ice for warmups prior to the men’s gold-medal match between Canada and the United States.Elsa/Getty Images
There are few goaltenders like Jordan Binnington. He knew coming into last year’s 4 Nations tournament that everyone doubted him. Then, under that kind of pressure, he simply went out and made several key saves to win the tournament.
Once again, he’s been hearing the doubts in Milan, and he’s been the game-saver several times.
During post-game interviews, Binnington doesn’t blink. It’s uncanny. He just looks you in the eye and acts like nothing fazes him. But it’s fitting. On the ice, he hasn’t blinked either.
02/22/26 08:06Canadians flood the stands to cheer for Team Canada
– Robyn Doolittle
Lorraine Williston and Pam Williams are both from Halifax, and are thrilled to be at the gold-medal hockey game.Robyn Doolittle/The Globe and Mail
This is basically a home game for Team Canada. The stands are one giant wall of red and white. Before the game I was wandering around the arena chatting with Canadians who made the trip. A huge number seem to be from the Maritimes.
Lorraine Williston and Pam Williams are both from Halifax. “We bought tickets a year ago. It’s a dream come true,” Williams said.
“It’s Italy. It’s hockey,” Williston said.
“And three Nova Scotia boys on the team,” Williams said.
Colin Harrison from Halifax has been to the quarterfinals, semifinals and now the finals. He gets here two hours early every game to hang his good luck banner.
Colin Harrison from Halifax is at the gold-medal hockey game in Milan, having been to the quarter finals, semi finals and now the finals.Robyn Doolittle/The Globe and Mail
Jack Karpinski from Winnipeg came with two of his friends. The 24-year-old logged onto the ticket site on Dec. 1 and snagged a solo seat for face value. “I am incredibly excited. This is the best.”
Tina and David Li flew here from Vancouver.
“It’s a bucket list for David and it’s a big birthday this year – 60 – so we thought we’d splurge,” Tina said.
Tina and David Li flew to the gold medal hockey game in Italy from Vancouver.Robyn Doolittle/The Globe and Mail
02/22/26 08:04Don’t expect a fight, but don’t be surprised if there is one
– Grant Robertson
Canadian forward Sam Bennett fights American counterpart Brady Tkachuk during the countries’ 4 Nations Face-Off game on Feb. 15, 2025.Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press
The first meeting between these two teams at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, a preliminary-round game that the U.S. won, famously involved three fights in the first nine seconds.
We probably can’t expect that kind of chaos at the Olympics, where the penalties for fisticuffs are ejections and suspensions. But it’s not impossible that these rules are weaponized by the teams. A player might be goaded into a fight to take them out of the game.
The interplay between Canada’s Tom Wilson and either of the Tkachuk brothers will be interesting to watch. It’s going to be nasty, and how close they come to the line without going over will be interesting.
02/22/26 08:02The U.S. has improved on their 4 Nations roster
– Grant Robertson
It may seem like these two rosters are similar to last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, with a lot of the same names including Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, but there are significant differences in the lineup that will have a major impact on this game.
Canadian captain Sidney Crosby won’t play after being injured in the quarterfinal versus the Czechs. And one massive difference that has received far less attention is how different the U.S. blueline looks.
The Americans didn’t have Quinn Hughes or Charlie McAvoy for the 4 Nations final. To put it simply: The U.S. comes into this gold-medal game adding two of the NHL’s best defencemen to their roster that they didn’t have last year when Canada won. That can’t be overstated.
02/22/26 07:57Sweden beat Switzerland to win women’s gold in curlingOpen this photo in gallery:
Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg, Sara McManus, Sofia Scharback and Agnes Knochenhauer celebrate defeating Switzerland to win a women’s curling gold-medal match.Misper Apawu/The Associated Press
Sweden won the gold medal in the women’s curling competition at the Winter Olympics with a 6-5 victory over Switzerland at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium on Sunday.
On Saturday, Canada beat the United States 10-7 to win bronze.
– Reuters
02/22/26 07:46How Canada and the U.S. match up historically
– Jamie Ross
United States’ Adam Fox, left, battled Canada’s Mitch Marner for the puck during the 4 Nations Face-Off championship hockey game on Feb. 20, 2025.Charles Krupa/The Associated Press
This is the marquee match at these Winter Games. Fans have been waiting for this rematch between the world’s two best hockey powers since the 4 Nations Face-Off a year ago, when Canada topped the U.S. in overtime in the final.
While a big win for Canada, the closeness of that contest and a loss earlier in the tournament suggested that the United States had fully closed the gap on the once-dominant Canadians.
Historically in Olympic and international play, Canada holds a large win margin over the Americans in men’s hockey (53-3-11) in 68 games dating back to 1920. Canada defeated the U.S. in the final of the 2010 Winter Games thanks to Sidney Crosby’s Golden Goal and knocked the United States off in the 2014 Games in Sochi in the semifinal. That was the last time NHL players appeared at the Winter Olympics until Milan Cortina.
02/22/26 07:31Seats snagged in a frozen arena
– Cathal Kelly
About 90 minutes before the start of the Canada-USA final, the mood in Milan’s Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena is, “Why does it have to be so cold?”
It is a general rule of modern hockey arenas that as they fill up, they get warmer. Not this one. As soon as they let anybody in the door, they turn the air conditioning up to 11. Maybe it’s for the ice. Maybe they think it improves the ambience. The longer the game goes on, the more frigid this place gets.
In what I presume was their hurry to complete the building, they pointed the ducting in the rafters straight down. Up top, it’s like sitting in a fridge wearing an industrial fan as a hat.
As a result, there is a scramble in the media tribune to get here early enough to avoid the seats that are directly underneath blowing cold air.
Team Canada may yet take this game, but by lining up to get in before security had even opened, Team Globe and Mail has already won.
02/22/26 07:21Sidney Crosby out of gold-medal game against United States
– Jamie Ross
Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby will miss Sunday’s Olympic gold-medal game against the United States.David W Cerny/Reuters
Sidney Crosby, Team Canada’s captain, will not play in the gold-medal game against the United States. Connor McDavid will serve as captain in the final.
Crosby’s health has been the topic of speculation at the Olympic hockey tournament since he took a hit from defenceman Radko Gudas and folded over backward during Canada’s quarterfinal against Czechia. Crosby was favouring his right leg as he went to the bench, then left the game and did not return. The two-time Olympic champion missed the semifinal against Finland.
02/22/26 07:06Germany’s Johannes Lochner wins gold in four-man bobsleighOpen this photo in gallery:
Germany’s Johannes Lochner, left, Thorsten Margis, Jorn Wenzel and Georg Fleischauer slide down the track during a four-man bobsled run.Alessandra Tarantino/The Associated Press
Germany’s Johannes Lochner collected his second bobsleigh gold of the Milan Cortina Olympic Games in the four-man event on Sunday, completing a hugely dominant week for the sliding superpower.
Double-defending champion Francesco Friedrich of Germany took silver, with Michael Vogt snatching bronze for Switzerland on the final run.
– Reuters
02/22/26 07:03Sweden’s Ebba Andersson wins gold in women’s 50km mass startOpen this photo in gallery:
Sweden’s Ebba Andersson celebrates with a Swedish flag after crossing the finish line to win the women’s cross country 50km mass start final event.JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images
Sweden’s Ebba Andersson surged away from opponents for a commanding win in the women’s cross-country 50-kilometre mass start ski race on Sunday, winning the first gold medal in the event in its Olympic debut and taking her first victory of these Games.
It was redemption for Andersson, who suffered a series of disastrous falls in the relay that cost her team a gold medal. She also has three second-place finishes at the Milan Cortina Games, one earned after an impressive comeback during the relay, and individual silvers in the skiathlon and 10-kilometre freestyle event.
In Sunday’s race, Heidi Weng of Norway won silver, finishing two minutes and 15 seconds behind Andersson but more than four-and-a-half minutes ahead of Switzerland’s Nadja Kaelin who took bronze.
– Reuters
02/22/26 06:34Sweden vs. Switzerland women’s gold-medal curling game underway
– Globe staff
The women’s curling gold-medal game between Sweden and Switzerland is underway.
Team Canada defeated the American team 10-7 on Saturday to win the bronze medal.
It’s a big moment for Rachel Homan, who is largely considered the world’s best female curler. Yet until now, she was missing an Olympic medal after falling short at the Games in 2018 and 2022.
Team Homan must wait to receive its medals until after today’s gold-medal game.
02/22/26 06:22Eileen Gu wins gold in the women’s halfpipeOpen this photo in gallery:
Eileen Gu of China celebrates after winning gold medal.Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters
Eileen Gu defended her Olympic ski halfpipe title on Sunday to make it six medals in six events over her Winter Games career.
The 22-year-old Gu, American-born but competing for her mother’s homeland of China, is already the most decorated freeskier in the short history of the sport at the Olympics. She also captured two silver medals at the Milan Cortina Games, to pair with two golds and a silver from the Beijing Games.
Gu won the event on the strength of her second run, a clean, technically sound pass. She got even better in her final run — pumping his ski poles after landing the final trick — and finished with a score of 94.75. Her teammate, Li Fanghui, took silver and Zoe Atkin of Britain was third.
Canada’s Amy Fraser just missed the podium and came in fourth. Rachael Karker of Erin, Ont., placed seventh after a fall on her last of three runs.
The event was rescheduled to Sunday following a big snowstorm the night before.
– The Associated Press
02/22/26 06:11Canada opens bars early for men’s gold-medal showdown
It will be beers before breakfast in Canada on Sunday when some bars will open their taps hours earlier than usual as the nation rallies behind its men’s ice hockey team in the gold-medal showdown against the United States at the Winter Olympics.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has allowed eligible licensed establishments to begin selling alcohol at 6 a.m. ET, just over two hours before the puck drops at Milan’s Santagiulia arena for the hotly anticipated match between two teams.
“The entire country will be watching on Sunday morning as our men’s hockey team plays for Olympic gold,” Ford wrote on X while announcing the decision for early-morning alcohol sales. “Let’s all come together, support local businesses and cheer on Team Canada!”
In British Columbia, Premier David Eby has also given the green light for bars there to open their taps starting at 5:00 a.m. PT to bleary-eyed hockey fans ahead of traditional breakfast hours.
– Reuters
02/22/26 06:03Canadians deserve ‘properly funded’ sports system, COC CEO Shoemaker says
– Jamie Ross
David Shoemaker is once again asking the federal government to better fund the amateur sports movement in Canada.
Shoemaker, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee, said on Sunday that the COC has asked for an additional $144-million on behalf of national sports organizations, which currently receive about $220-million, to fund the growth of high-performance and grassroots sports in Canada.
“Canadians deserve a sports system that is properly funded,” Shoemaker said. “National sports organizations are stretched unbearably thin. They are forced to make impossible choices. They have to choose between athletes competing here and now in Italy, and the next generation.”
Being an Olympian is not a lucrative pursuit. Bronze-medal-winning speed skater Laurent Dubreuil, for example, said this week he is paying his own way to the world championships in the Netherlands next month.
“Promising athletes are leaving high-performance sport because they can’t afford the costs,” said COC chief sport officer Eric Myles.
02/22/26 05:57Winter Games to end with closing ceremony in ancient Verona Arena Open this photo in gallery:
An officer outside the Verona Olympic Arena ahead of the closing ceremony.Lisi Niesner/Reuters
Italy will bring down the curtain on two weeks of scintillating Olympic sporting action on Sunday with a closing ceremony in the ancient Verona Arena amphitheatre.
The show, scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. local time), is entitled “Beauty in Action” and will feature leading Italian ballet dancer Roberto Bolle and celebrate Italian art as well as sporting achievement.
With the Olympic medals won and lost, the tone is expected to be more relaxed and free-wheeling than the opening ceremony.
Italian singer Achille Lauro and DJ/producer Gabry Ponte will be there to get the party going while Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will be among the crowd.
The ceremony is being held in an open-air Roman amphitheatre renowned for staging opera and pop concerts in the heart of the northern Italian city made famous as the setting for William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet.
Tickets were priced from 950 euros ($1,530) to a top level of 2,900 euros ($4,675). The weather has been kind, with no rain forecast. The Games, co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, have been hailed a success by new International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, and the mood has been lifted by a record medal haul for the Italians.
However, protesters opposed to staging the Games are expected to demonstrate close to the Arena on Sunday.
– Reuters
02/22/26 05:43Snow clears and Eileen Gu goes for another Olympic medalOpen this photo in gallery:
Eileen Gu reacts after competing in the second run of the women’s freeski halfpipe final at Livigno Air Park.David Ramos/Getty Images
A day later than she expected, Eileen Gu tries to make it six medals in six Olympic events Sunday when she drops into the halfpipe for the women’s final.
The last event at the Livigno Snow Park had been scheduled for Saturday night under the lights, but a big snowstorm blew in hours before the contest was supposed to start, and organizers pushed the final to the last day of the Olympics.
The biggest threat to Gu is Zoe Atkin, an American-born skier who competes for her father’s homeland of Britain. Atkin finished ninth at the Beijing Games but has been a steady presence on World Cup podiums ever since. She has three victories over the last four years, all in events where Gu didn’t compete.
Canadians Rachael Karker and Amy Fraser will also fight for podium finishes. But Cassie Sharpe, but the 2018 Olympic champion from Comox, B.C., was forced to withdraw after suffering a concussion on a nasty fall during qualifying Thursday.
– The Associated Press
02/22/26 05:15Canada names Maltais and Dubois as flag-bearers for closing ceremoniesOpen this photo in gallery:
Valérie Maltais and Steven Dubois.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
Speed skater Valérie Maltais and short track speed skater Steven Dubois have been named Canada’s flag-bearers for the closing ceremonies of the 2026 Olympic Games.
Dubois won a gold medal in the men’s 500 metres and was also part of the mixed relay team that earned silver.
Maltais helped Canada repeat as Olympic champions in women’s team pursuit with Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann. Maltais also earned bronze medals in the 3,000 and 1,500 metres.
The 35-year-old Maltais competed in her fifth and final Olympic Games. She owns a career five medals, including a short track relay medal from 2014 before switching to long track.
The 28-year-old Dubois has also collected five Olympic medals in his career, including gold, silver and bronze in 2022 when he helped the men’s relay team to victory.
– The Canadian Press
02/22/26 05:15All eyes on men’s hockey final between Canada, U.S. on Games’ last day
Day 16 of the Milan Cortina Games is also its last, and all eyes will be on the gold-medal grudge match between Canada and the United States for men’s hockey supremacy.
The Canadians and the Americans will rekindle their heated rivalry, most recently played out in last year’s 4 Nation Face-Off tournament where Canada emerged victorious. Canada has beaten the U.S. for Olympic gold in 2002 and 2010 with NHL players, and the Americans have not won gold at the Games since Lake Placid in 1980.
Canada may be without the services of captain and Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby, while Winnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey is confirmed to be out with an upper-body injury. The Americans beat Slovakia 6-2 to reach the finals while Canada squeaked by Finland 3-2. Neither team has lost a game at the Olympic tournament heading into the final.
– The Canadian Press
02/22/26 05:00What time is the Canada vs. U.S. men’s hockey gold-medal game?
– Globe Staff
Team Canada is playing their fiercest rivals for men’s hockey gold at 8:10 a.m. ET today, making it a very early start for hockey fans in North America, particularly on the West Coast.
02/22/26 05:00Canadian players know the importance of a Canada-U.S. rematch for gold
– Grant Robertson
Canada’s Brandon Hagel, left, and United States winger Matthew Tkachuk fight during the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal last year.Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press
High-stakes hockey between Canada and the United States can be a bit chaotic. Just ask Brandon Hagel.
During the now-famous first nine seconds of Canada’s initial meeting with the U.S. at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, where three fights broke out before any actual hockey was played, it was Hagel who found himself in the eye of the storm.
When U.S. forward Matthew Tkachuk, playing the heel, dictated he wanted the game in Montreal to start with a punch-up, Hagel knew there was no choice but to oblige – for the country.
“I’m sure he had a plan in his head, but I didn’t,” Hagel said in an interview before the Olympics, recounting the melee. “But I did what I had to do.”
Hagel’s bout – which his Tampa Bay Lightning teammate Anthony Cirelli proudly points out “he won” – was followed by two other scraps before the game was even 10 seconds old.
“It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before,” said Hagel, a power forward who doesn’t consider himself to be a fighter.
He doesn’t expect a repeat of those nine seconds on Sunday, as Canada prepares to face the United States in the gold-medal final at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
International hockey has harsher penalties for fisticuffs than the NHL, with ejections and suspensions. But when these two countries meet on the ice, there’s a decent chance something memorable will happen.
There will be fireworks. It’s just uncertain what kind.
02/22/26 05:00Today’s Olympic schedule and event start times
– Globe Staff
It’s the last day of the Winter Games and a big one for Canada as the men’s hockey team faces off with their arch rivals the United States for gold.
The final day will also see two Canadians fight for podium finishes in the women’s freeski halfpipe, which was postponed a day due to bad conditions at Livigno Snow Park. Rachael Karker and Amy Fraser will both compete in the event, but veteran and 2022 silver medallist Cassie Sharpe will not participate after suffering a concussion on a nasty fall during qualifying.
There is also Canadian content in the men’s four-man bobsled finals, where Taylor Austin will pilot one of two Canadian squads in the final day of the competition.
Finally, the Games will take its curtain call by holding its closing ceremony, set to be held at the Verona Olympic Arena, an ancient Roman amphitheatre and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Here are the events to watch for, and you can find the full schedule here.
4 a.m. ET – Bobsleigh four-man third run
Medal events:
4 a.m. ET – Cross-country skiing women’s 50km classic style5:05 a.m. ET – Women’s curling gold-medal game (Sweden vs. Switzerland)6:15 a.m. ET – Bobsleigh four-man fourth run8:10 a.m. ET – Men’s hockey gold-medal game (Canada vs. United States)02/22/26 05:00Where to watch the Olympics in Canada
– Globe staff
CBC is Canada’s official Olympic broadcaster. The 2026 Winter Games are be available to watch on CBC through your TV provider, or to stream for free on the CBC Gem app or at CBCGem.ca.
You can also follow The Globe and Mail’s live coverage of all the latest news and analysis of the Games, on our website or mobile app.
02/20/26 05:00Your guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics
– Globe staff
A spectator wears Olympic ring glasses at Milano Ice Skating Arena.Elsa/Getty Images
The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are nearing their end and have made history in more ways than one, as Team Canada and the world’s best athletes continue to compete in northern Italy.
From hockey to figure skating and the debut of ski mountaineering, the competition has been nothing short of thrilling. But at the most geographically widespread edition of the Winter Games ever, international tensions – particularly toward the United States – is also be on full display.