Usa Hockey demolishes Slovakia, sets up gold-medal showdown with Canada

The U. S. beat Slovakia 6-2 in a Friday semifinal in Milan, setting up a gold-medal match with Canada on Sunday — a meeting framed as a deciding moment for the North American rivalry and the Americans’ long Olympic drought. usa hockey advanced after a dominant night from its top forwards and goaltending that largely shut down an underdog Slovak side.

Usa Hockey sets up Canada showdown

The semifinal win ensured the U. S. will play Canada in the Olympic final on Sunday in Milan. Canada earlier rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat Finland and book its spot in the gold-medal match, creating a classic North American title pairing: a Canada team that showed late-game resilience and a U. S. squad that produced a comparatively one-sided semifinal performance.

Semifinal performance and key contributors

Jack Hughes scored two goals as the Americans overwhelmed Slovakia 6-2 in the second of Friday night’s two semifinals. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck turned away all but two shots he faced, giving the U. S. a goaltending foundation to build on. Slovakia entered the game as an underdog but one of the tournament surprises, and the Slovak roster included seven NHL players.

What to watch in gold match

usa hockey arrives in the final with confidence that its roster is among the strongest it has ever brought to an Olympics, featuring a three-time Vezina Trophy winner in goal and a collection of high-end defensemen. Canada arrives after a comeback semifinal and brings an attack that has repeatedly proved difficult to contain. If the U. S. can replicate the semifinal's defensive structure and Hellebuyck’s near-perfect night, the Americans will be well positioned. If Canada’s top attackers produce the kind of finish that allowed a comeback in their semifinal, the final could tilt the other way.

• Final score: United States 6, Slovakia 2.
• Standout contributors: Jack Hughes (2 goals); Connor Hellebuyck (allowed 2 goals).
• Next matchup: United States vs. Canada in the Olympic gold-medal game on Sunday in Milan.

The U. S. is seeking its first Olympic gold in men’s hockey since 1980 and has fallen to Canada in past gold-medal games, making Sunday a pivotal opportunity. Players framed the upcoming final as a head-to-head test against the tournament’s other North American power; one American defenseman noted that beating Canada will require being the better team on the day, while a veteran forward said it will take a single standout performance. Observables from the semifinals — the U. S. ’s scoring depth and Hellebuyck’s form, plus Canada’s late-game resiliency — set clear benchmarks to watch as both teams prepare for the title game on Sunday.