MILAN — After a whirlwind 48 hours of Olympic hockey filled with comebacks, overtime thrills, and memorable moments, Team USA managed to achieve something they hadn’t done in a while on Friday night.
An easy win.
The U.S. team overpowered Slovakia in the semifinals, sending the underdog home with a decisive 6-2 defeat and setting up a gold medal showdown against Canada on Sunday.
This anticipated final between the United States and Canada is the game fans have been wanting. It’s arguably the most awaited hockey match in a generation, and the Americans are just one step away from joining the ranks of hockey legends.
But it’s worth noting that Friday’s performance felt different from the iconic Miracle on Ice. The Slovakian team, recognized as a hockey powerhouse, surprised everyone, yet they didn’t really stand a chance this time.
Team USA has looked sharp since Jack Hughes was placed on the third line with Dylan Larkin and Tage Thompson midway through their quarterfinal against Sweden, forming a dynamic trio.
2026 Winter Olympics
The only downside for the Americans was Thompson leaving the game due to what was described as “precautionary reasons,” missing the third period.
These three players were instrumental, contributing to four of Team USA’s first five goals that night, although two of those came during power plays.
“We felt Jack was playing really well, so moving him up for more ice time seemed smart. It was based on how he’s been performing, and we believe he’s improving with each game,” said the coach on Friday.
Hughes, notably, emerged as a significant player for Team USA in this tournament after struggling in earlier competitions. He scored an impressive goal to put the U.S. ahead 3-0 and followed up with a power-play goal, making it 5-0.
In the third period, Slovakia’s Yuraj Slavkovskiy managed to break the shutout, with Brady Tkachuk and Pavol Legenda each scoring consolation goals. Meanwhile, tensions remained high in the third game as players from both teams—Erik Cernak and Matthew Tkachuk—were penalized for misconduct after a late-game scuffle.
In the first period, Eichel scored on a power play with a well-placed one-timer, following Larkin’s opening goal off a setup from Zach Werenski just over four minutes into the game.
The U.S.’s commanding victory hid some underlying issues that could surface later. They committed four penalties here—a number they can’t afford against Canada, who has a solid power play. That being said, Team USA’s power play has been quite effective during the Olympics so far, yet they’ve yet to allow a goal while on the penalty kill.
Each line and defensive pair performed well, and Connor Hellebuyck was mostly untroubled in goal.
It was almost a shocking contrast to see Canada just hours earlier, struggling through a tense match, while the American team cruised through their game.
Now, the hockey world awaits what’s set to unfold in Milan.
