The American men annihilated Team Slovakia 6-2 in Friday’s Olympic hockey semifinals to set up a gold medal matchup with Canada on Sunday in Milan, where President Donald Trump may be on hand.
‘It’s the matchup everyone wanted,’ Team USA’s Zach Werenski said after his three-assist effort in the win. ‘Now that it’s finally here, we can kind of shift our focus to Canada.’
One day after the American women captured Olympic gold with a 2-1 overtime win over Team Canada, the men now have a chance at their first gold medal since the famed Miracle On Ice at the 1980 Winter Games.
Instead of the USSR buzzsaw, which Team USA beat en route to Olympic gold in Lake Placid, this year’s squad is up against a similarly talented roster. Both Canada and America are represented by highly paid NHL stars with vast international and Stanley Cup experience.
But unlike the Canadians, who needed to come back against Finland to advance to the gold medal game, Team USA is coming off a statement win on Friday.
The Americans easily pulled ahead 2-0 in the opening frame on Dylan Larkin’s goal, assisted by Werenski and Tage Thompson, as well as a power-play goal from Thompson with 41 seconds remaining in the period.
Thompson’s score was particularly impressive as the Buffalo Sabres winger beat Slovakian goalie Samuel Hlavaj on a blazing one-timer from Jack Eichel.
Team USA would score twice in rapid succession in the second period.
First it was Jack Hughes’ turn, netting an assist from Werenski, before Eichel followed 20 seconds later with a goal assisted by both Tkachuk brothers, Brady and Matthew.
Jack Hughes would add his second goal of the game late in the second to give his proud parents even more to celebrate in the crowd. Hughes’ brother Quinn previosly scored the game winner in overtime against Team Sweden to advance to the semifinals.
American goalie Connor Hellebuyck surrendered two third-period goals to Montreal Canadiens star Juraj Slafkovsky and the San Jose Sharks’ Pavol Regenda, but still made 22 saves on the day. He appears to be in line for another start on Sunday.
The only blemish, if you can call it that, was Team USA’s third-period shoving match with Slovakia. Erik Cernak was seen punching American instigator Matthew Tkachuk, although refs were able to break up the rare international fight.
Both Matthew Tkachuk and Cernak were ejected for their part in the fracas.
Friday’s victory could result in a surprise international trip for Trump, who is reportedly considering attending Sunday’s gold medal game amid an ongoing trade war with Canada. Italian media has already reported security plans are being made in the case that he does attend the game.
The Trump White House has faced criticism in Milan, where vice president JD Vance was booed during the opening ceremony. The ongoing Winter Olympics are taking place as Trump is trying to raise tariffs on foreign countries, not to mention his controversial immigration crackdown.
The Trump administration was represented at Friday’s game by FBI director Kash Patel, who has also been slammed over his use of taxpayer funds for his international flight.
Patel’s flight to Europe could cost taxpayers as much as $75,000, according to estimates of government flight rates for that type of aircraft, but the Bureau hit back at criticism, insisting: ‘It is not a personal trip.’
Spokesperson Ben Williamson went on to explain that Patel is on a business trip ‘that was planned months ago.’
Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce was also on hand with his wife Kylie after the couple previously watched the US beat Sweden in the quarterfinals.
Canada didn’t have the fast start that Team USA had Friday, but the Olympic favorites came up big when it mattered most.
The comeback began when Sam Reinhart deflected a Cale Maker slap shot in the second period. From there, Shea Theodore tied the game in the third period to set up Nathan MacKinnon’s game winner with 35.2 seconds remaining.
‘There wasn’t really any panic,’ Canadian center Nick Suzuki told reporters after the win. ‘We were going to get our chances eventually.’
Now the two rivals will meet on Sunday, one year after playing in two spectacular games in the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
That event marked the first time in nearly a decade that hockey’s top international talent participated in a single tournament. And the teams did not disappoint, getting in three fights in the opening nine seconds of the first game before Canada secured an epic overtime win over Team USA in the finals.
As for Sunday, Team Canada is still waiting to learn if it will have captain Sidney Crosby, who suffered a lower-body injury earlier in the tournament and missed Friday’s win.
‘We have 48 hours to decide that,’ Team Canada coach Jon Cooper said. ‘But I will tell you he’s got a better chance of playing in the gold medal game than he had playing in tonight’s game.’
The Pittsburgh Penguins legend is a key player in the US-Canada rivalry. The last time the Americans reached the final came in 2010, when Crosby scored a golden goal off a face-off in the final, leaving Team USA with the silver medal.
