02/20/26 04:47:00
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02/20 16:45 CST US sets up gold-medal game against Canada at the Olympics by
cruising past Slovakia
US sets up gold-medal game against Canada at the Olympics by cruising past
Slovakia
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Hockey Writer
MILAN (AP) --- The much-anticipated but never guaranteed U.S.-Canada showdown
for gold in men's hockey at the Olympics is on.
Jack Hughes scored two goals, including one with a highlight-reel individual
effort, and the Americans rolled into the final by routing Slovakia 6-2 in the
semifinals on Friday night.
They'll meet tournament favorite and top-seeded Canada on Sunday for the title,
a year since the North American rivals played two memorable games against each
other at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
That NHL-run event ended a drought of nearly a decade without an international
tournament featuring the best hockey players in the world. Three fights in the
first nine seconds in the first meeting put the 4 Nations in the spotlight, and
their epic final won by Canada in overtime only built the anticipation for the
Olympics.
After Canada did its part by rallying to beat Finland earlier in the day, the
U.S. had no trouble against the Slovaks, who made an improbable run and were
simply overmatched. They'll face the Finns for bronze on Saturday night,
looking for just the second hockey medal in the country's history after getting
the first with a third-place finish in Beijing in 2022.
The U.S. is playing for gold after the semifinals were a much easier go than
the quarterfinals against Sweden, when overtime was needed to survive a scare.
Dylan Larkin, Tage Thompson, Hughes and Eichel scored the four goals on 23
shots that chased Samuel Hlavaj out of Slovakia's net past the midway point of
the second period.
Thompson, one of just a handful of newcomers who did not play at the 4 Nations,
exited later in the second after blocking a shot. He was held out the rest of
the way, according to the NBC broadcast.
Hughes got his second just after a power play expired, and Brady Tkachuk scored
on a breakaway with just over nine minutes left to provide some more breathing
room.
Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck did his job as his teammates outshot Slovakia by a
substantial margin. Everything he has done at the Olympics has validated coach
Mike Sullivan's decision to go with Hellebuyck as the U.S. starter over Jake
Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman.
The U.S. last reached the final in 2010 when it lost to Canada in overtime on
Sidney Crosby's famous golden goal. Crosby's status is uncertain this time
after getting injured in the quarterfinals Wednesday and not playing Friday
against Finland.
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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
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