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![\"Canada](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/699b1d43da91bc4de13e62dejpeg.jpg\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCanada goalie Jordan Binnington (50) makes a save on United States’ Matt Boldy (12) during the third period of the men’s gold medal hockey game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Darryl Dyck<\/p>\n
Cale Makar replied for the Canadians. Jordan Binnington made 26 saves.<\/p>\n
Canada\u2019s NHL stars won Olympic gold with victories over the U.S. in 2002 and 2010 before repeating against Sweden in 2014, but came up short in Milan.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou be the judge of who was the better team today,\u201d said Canada forward Nathan MacKinnon, who missed a chance to put Canada up 2-1 in the third period.<\/p>\n
Hughes won it in the extra period when he took a pass from Zach Werenski and fired a shot five-hole past Binnington after Quinn Hughes \u2014 Jack\u2019s brother \u2014 was denied by a huge stop from Canada\u2019s netminder.<\/p>\n
Canadian captain Sidney Crosby was scratched for a second straight game with a lower-body injury after missing Friday\u2019s last-minute semifinal win over Finland. The 38-year-old\u2019s right leg bent at an awkward angle on a hit during Wednesday\u2019s quarterfinal victory in overtime against Czechia.<\/p>\n
Superstar centre Connor McDavid again wore the \u2018C\u2019 in Crosby\u2019s place. He was named tournament MVP with two goals and 11 assists in six games. His 13 points set a record for most at a single Olympics.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Josh Morrissey also sat out for a fifth straight game after the puck-moving defenceman was hurt in Canada\u2019s opener last week.<\/p>\n The red-clad, pro-Canadian crowd was in full voice across Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena \u2014 a facility completed just before the Games, located southeast of Milan\u2019s city centre \u2014 ahead of puck drop. Dozens of red Maple Leafs were unfurled throughout the 11,600-seat venue, while the Stars and Stripes was peppered throughout the venue.<\/p>\n The NHL\u2019s Olympic return culminated with a memorable final.<\/p>\n The league went to five Games between 1998 and 2014 before skipping the 2018 event for financial reasons. Concerns over COVID-19 scuttled plans for a 2022 comeback.<\/p>\n The U.S. hemmed Canada into the defensive zone on the first shift before Macklin Celebrini had the first good chance.<\/p>\n Canadian winger Tom Wilson then delivered a thunderous hit on Dylan Larkin behind the American net to send the forward flying into the end boards as duelling chants of \u201cLet\u2019s Go Canada!\u201d and \u201cU-S-A! U-S-A!\u201d rang around the incandescent rink.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t The U.S. opened the scoring six minutes into the opening period when Boldy chipped the puck past Makar and defence partner Devon Toews, and went against the grain on Binnington to slide home his team\u2019s first shot on target.<\/p>\n Auston Matthews had a great look on an American power play, but chose to pass instead of shooting to help Canada survive and head to the locker room only down 1-0.<\/p>\n The Canadians had a big push to start the second period, but couldn\u2019t find a way through Hellebuyck before Toews gave the puck away in front to Brock Nelson, who was denied by Binnington.<\/p>\n McDavid moved in on a breakaway as fans on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean held their collective breath, only to be denied when he ran out of real estate.<\/p>\n Canada got a 5-on-3 power for 93 seconds later in the period, but was again unable to solve the American netminder, including chances off the sticks of MacKinnon and Celebrini.<\/p>\n Head coach Jon Cooper put the Canadian lines in a blender before his team finally equalized. The puck went from Toews to the fleet-skated Makar after an offensive zone faceoff, and he snapped a shot past Hellebuyck\u2019s blocker after charging down the right side to send his country\u2019s fans into a frenzy at 18:16.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPlayers with team Canada react after losing to the United States in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Nathan Denette<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCanada’s Connor McDavid (97) reacts after losing to the United States in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Nathan Denette<\/p>\n