Staff USA faces powerful Canadian squad in Olympic gold medal hockey sport : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/7224x4816+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F90%2Fd5%2Ff18a7d7348c3bffaeaaaeb042c56%2Fap26051733218431.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/7224x4816+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F90%2Fd5%2Ff18a7d7348c3bffaeaaaeb042c56%2Fap26051733218431.jpg" class="img" alt="United States' Dylan Larkin (21) celebrates after scoring the opening goal during a men's ice hockey semifinal game between United States and Slovakia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. " fetchpriority="high"/> United States' Dylan Larkin (21) celebrates after scoring the opening aim throughout a males's ice hockey semifinal sport between United States and Slovakia on the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photograph/Petr David Josek) Petr David Josek/AP conceal caption

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Petr David Josek/AP MILAN — It's the matchup that many have been hoping for all alongside — the U.S. versus Canada within the Olympic males's hockey gold medal match.

Canada has gained 9 all-time gold medals in males's hockey, essentially the most of any nation. The U.S. has gained solely two — the final an extended 46 years in the past, when an underdog American squad upset the Soviet Union in 1980's "Miracle on Ice."

At the moment, the Individuals aren't such underdogs anymore. However this technology of American stars — together with group captain Auston Matthews, star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, and the Tkachuk brothers Matthew and Brady — nonetheless lack a signature win to show they belong with the most effective.

"The road between profitable and shedding is so nice in tournaments like this and while you play a group like [Canada]," mentioned U.S. ahead Jack Eichel. "It is going to be a aggressive sport. It is going to be backwards and forwards. We all know it isn't going to be simple, however we're prepared for a tough and demanding sport, and we will give the whole lot we've."

Final yr, Canada bested the Individuals with a 3-2 extra time win within the closing of the 4 Nations Face-Off, a match staged by the NHL in lieu of an All-Star Sport. It was the primary best-on-best occasion in worldwide males's hockey in almost 9 years.

Sunday's closing is the primary matchup between Canada and the U.S. males's hockey groups on the Olympic gold medal stage since 2010, when a younger Sidney Crosby electrified the home-country crowd with a golden aim in extra time on the Vancouver Winter Video games.

With NHL gamers taking part within the Olympics for the primary time since 2014, the U.S. squad is extra proficient than ever. The roster consists of 5 NHL group captains and two winners of the Hart Memorial Trophy, the NHL's most useful participant award, the Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews and the Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.

However the Canadian group is fearsome. Its high line consists of the most effective participant in hockey, Connor McDavid, together with the league's present main scorer, Nathan MacKinnon, and its brightest younger expertise, Macklin Celebrini. These three gamers alone have mixed for 11 objectives and 19 assists by way of 5 video games.

Crosby, now 38 years outdated, was the captain of this Canadian group coming into the Olympics. However he was harm after a pair of hits within the quarterfinal in opposition to Czechia, and he was unable to play within the semifinal.