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Archives for February 20, 2026

USA Routs Slovakia; Canada is Up Next

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MILAN  – (Wire Service Report) – The United States made light work of Slovakia with a 6-2 victory on Friday to set up the eagerly awaited Olympic men’s ice hockey final with Canada. Team U.S. was on cruise control heading into the final period, up 5-0 through Dylan Larkin, Tage Thompson, Jack Eichel and a double from Jack Hughes, before Brady Tkachuk scored between a pair of Slovakian consolation goals.

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NHL players returned to the Olympic Games following a 12-year absence and expectations had been high that the North American rivals would reap the benefits and face off in the decider.

The U.S. obliged with ease after Canada’s tense 3-2 semifinal win over defending champions Finland, and the sides will meet in Sunday’s gold-medal decider at Santagiulia Arena.

Slovakia will take on Finland in Saturday’s bronze-medal game at the same venue.

–Reuters, special to Field Level Media and Digital Sports Desk

Canada’s Crosby Might Play vs. USA

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MILAN – (Wire Service Report) – Captain Sidney Crosby missed Canada’s semifinal victory over Finland on Friday but has a chance to play in Sunday’s gold-medal game of the Milan Cortina Olympics, according to head coach Jon Cooper. Crosby, who is nursing an apparent right leg injury, watched from the wings as Canada scored a late winner to overcome a two-goal deficit and down the Finns 3-2 in Friday’s early semifinal at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

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“We have 48 hours to decide that, 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,” Cooper told reporters postgame Friday.

The United States faced Slovakia in Friday’s second semifinal. The losing team will oppose Finland in the bronze-medal game Saturday.

Connor McDavid served as captain in Crosby’s absence for the semifinal and assisted Nathan MacKinnon’s game-winning power-play goal with 36 seconds remaining.

Sam Reinhart tipped in an earlier power-play goal and defenseman Shea Theodore tied the score midway through the third, helping Canada remain perfect in the tournament.

“We’re putting our country through it. A lot of stressful mornings for everyone back home,” McDavid said in a postgame interview with CBC. “But you know what? It’s been fun. It’s a best-on-best tournament. I keep on saying that. We’re playing the best teams in the world, the best players in the world, and they’re going at it and giving everything they have. The margins are razor thin.”

McDavid added he was “keeping the ‘C’ warm” for Crosby, who spoke to teammates in the locker room between periods. MacKinnon and Cale Makar were alternate captains against Finland.

Crosby was injured in Wednesday’s quarterfinal round as Canada rallied to defeat Czechia 4-3 in overtime.

“With what he’s done for the game, for our team, for all of Canada, we want to show up for him,” forward Brad Marchand said.

With six points in four appearances, Crosby is Canada’s fourth-leading scorer in Milan, trailing McDavid (13 points), Macklin Celebrini (10) and MacKinnon (seven).

One of the NHL’s most decorated players, the 38-year-old Crosby has 1,746 career points in 1,408 games over 21 seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and led Canada to Olympic gold at Vancouver in 2010 and Sochi in 2014.

–Field Level Media

Canada to Go for the Gold

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MILAN –  (Wire Service Report) – NHL All-Star Nathan MacKinnon capped Canada’s extraordinary fightback to beat defending champions Finland 3-2 in a men’s Olympic ice hockey semifinal, firing in the kill shot with 35.2 seconds left on the clock in another nerve-searing game on Friday.

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The NHL’s leading goal-scorer, MacKinnon made magic happen at Santagiulia Arena with just one second left on a power play after Canada clawed its way back from a two-goal deficit in the second period.

Forward Sam Reinhart scored to spark the comeback, while defenseman Shea Theodore got the third-period equalizer for Canada.

Canada will face the United States for the gold, as the USA was significant winners over Slovakia on Friday. Finland will play in Saturday’s bronze-medal game. The gold-medal game is set for Sunday.

‘IT’S A CHESS MATCH’

The favored Canadians, with their roster packed with top-flight National Hockey League talent, had looked nearly untouchable early in the tournament, but have been made to work in their last two games. Canada needed an overtime nail-biter to get past the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Their charismatic captain and former Olympic hero Sidney Crosby left that game injured and Canada were lacking some of their usual firepower as he sat out Friday’s game.

Canada had just three shots on goal through the first half of the opening period, and Finland got the chance it was waiting for when Sam Bennett was sent to the penalty box for goalie interference.

Mikko Rantanen scored three seconds into the power play and Finland piled on more pain early in the second period, when Erik Haula sent in a short-handed goal with a backhand shot.

“The start of the game, everybody’s so excited to play, and so amped up, so much adrenaline, it’s just kind of natural, you get a little bit of a feel out process,” said Canada forward Brad Marchand. “Some of these teams you haven’t played before. It’s kind of a chess match.”

The Canadians moved the right pieces around on the next power play, with defenseman Cale Makar blasting the puck through traffic toward the net, where Reinhart deflected it in to trim the lead. Theodore rocketed in a slapshot from the point to tie it midway through the third.

The Canadian joy overflowed with MacKinnon’s mighty shot in the waning moments of the game off an assist from Connor McDavid to avoid overtime. But the fans were made to hold their breath as officials weighed a challenge from the Finland bench for offside that ultimately proved unsuccessful.

The win kept alive North American fans’ hopes for a gold-medal showdown between the two preeminent ice hockey powerhouse nations, with the NHL allowing their players to compete at the Games for the first time since 2014.

–Reuters, special to Field Level Media