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SPECTOR\u2019S NOTE: I will update this post with the final score and a game recap later today.<\/p>\n
SPORTSNET<\/a>: Canadian captain Sidney Crosby skated with his teammates in practice on Saturday, but he remains a game-time decision whether he\u2019ll play in this contest. Crosby suffered a lower-body injury in the quarterfinal game against Czechia and missed Friday\u2019s semifinal win over Finland. <\/p>\n SPECTOR\u2019S NOTE: If Crosby can\u2019t play, Nick Suzuki will replace him at center while Connor McDavid takes over as team captain, as he did in the semifinal against Finland. <\/p>\n ESPN<\/a>: USA winger Brady Tkachuk stirred the pot a bit on Saturday regarding the rivalry between the two hockey nations. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s hatred there,\u201d Tkachuk said. \u201cI mean, they\u2019ve been the top dog. They\u2019ve been the best for the last bunch of years, and for us, we want to be in that position, be the best. So it\u2019s going to be a game where I think a lot of guys could say, this is the biggest game that they\u2019ve ever played in.\u201d<\/p>\n SPECTOR\u2019S NOTE: Tkachuk\u2019s comments reflect his teammates\u2019 determination to win their country\u2019s first Olympic gold in Men\u2019s Hockey since 1980. However, his remarks also show the respect they have for their opponent.<\/p>\n Finland defeated<\/a> Slovakia 6-1 in the bronze medal game on Saturday. Erik Haula scored two goals, and Joel Armia had a goal and two assists as the Finns pulled away from the Slovaks with four unanswered third-period goals, with the final two being empty-netters. Tomas Tatar replied for Slovakia. <\/p>\n SPECTOR\u2019S NOTE: A solid bounce-back performance by Finland after blowing a two-goal lead to Canada in the semifinal on Friday. The Finns had to do it without scoring winger Mikko Rantanen, who missed this game with a lower-body injury<\/a>. <\/p>\n Speaking of the Finns, Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice dismissed a rumor<\/a> that several of their players wanted him to coach their team in this tournament. \u201cI got a bunch of texts. Silliness,\u201d Maurice said, suggesting tongue-in-cheek that the source of the rumor got him mixed up with Panthers assistant coach Tuomo Ruutu. <\/p>\n Maurice reminded everyone that he was born in Canada and is a U.S. citizen. \u201cI think I\u2019ll just stay in Fort Lauderdale for these tournaments. It\u2019s worked out just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n As for the Slovaks, this wasn\u2019t the result they were hoping for. However, for a team with only seven NHL players on their roster, it still exceeded expectations and silenced its critics. Young stars such as Juraj Slavkovsky of the Montreal Canadiens, Dalibor Dvorsky of the St. Louis Blues, and Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils played well against the world\u2019s best, which should make them better NHL players. They\u2019re also an inspiration for young Slovak hockey players. <\/p>\n FLAMES NATION:<\/a> The Calgary Flames activated forwards Blake Coleman and John Beecher off injured reserve on Friday. <\/p>\n THE PROVINCE<\/a>: Vancouver Canucks prospect forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki requires season-ending shoulder surgery. He\u2019s split this season between the Canucks and their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. <\/p>\n COLORADO HOCKEY NOW:<\/a> The Avalanche will have a new ECHL affiliate. They will join forces with the New Mexico Goatheads in 2026-27. <\/p>\n