USA vs Canada Hockey: Gold Medal Hockey Game 2026 Sets the Stage for an Olympic Classic
The moment every hockey fan dreamed about is finally here. Team USA and Canada square off in the men's hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Sunday, February 22, with puck drop set for 8:10 a.m. ET at the Milano Santagiulia Arena in Milan, Italy. The USA hockey game airs live on NBC and streams on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com, with a re-air at 4:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. This is the gold medal hockey game 2026 that the entire sport of hockey has been waiting for — and it doubles as the closing act of the entire Olympic Games.
USA vs Canada Hockey Start Time, Channel, and How to Watch
The USA vs Canada hockey game tips off at 8:10 a.m. ET on Sunday. A brief Hockey Preview show airs on NBC at 7:45 a.m. ET ahead of the gold medal hockey game. The full broadcast is available on NBC television, Peacock streaming, and NBCOlympics.com. For those wondering where to watch USA vs Canada hockey or how to watch Olympic hockey without cable, Peacock Premium starts at $10.99 per month. Walmart+ subscribers can access Peacock at no additional cost through their membership.
Team USA Hockey Roster: Stars Driving the USA Hockey Run
The USA men's hockey roster is loaded with elite NHL talent assembled by head coach Mike Sullivan. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has been the backbone of the team, posting a tournament-best .9474 save percentage while conceding just five goals in five games. On defense, Quinn Hughes leads all blueliners in scoring with seven points and delivered the overtime winner against Sweden in the quarterfinals. Zach Werenski has been equally impressive alongside him, forming what many are calling the best defensive pairing in the tournament.
Up front, the Tkachuk brothers — Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk — bring the physical edge and scoring punch that define the USA men's hockey identity. Auston Matthews, the NHL's most prolific goal-scorer since 2016, gives the Americans a dynamic finisher on their top six. Jack Hughes has been playing at a superstar level through the tournament, including a two-goal performance in the 6-2 semifinal rout of Slovakia. Tom Wilson and Jake Guentzel round out a roster built for exactly this kind of high-stakes game. Team USA hockey eliminated Slovakia 6-2 in the semis, with Tom Wilson, Brady Tkachuk, and others setting a physical, suffocating tone throughout.
Canada Hockey Roster: McDavid, the Tkachuk Threat, and a Crosby Question Mark
The Canada hockey roster is headlined by Connor McDavid, who has shattered records in Milan. McDavid leads the entire Olympic hockey tournament with 13 points — 11 assists and two goals — setting a new record for points in a single Winter Olympics when NHL players have participated. Paired with 19-year-old sensation Macklin Celebrini (10 points, five goals), Canada's first line is the most dangerous in the tournament.
Nathan MacKinnon is the second-line engine and was the hero in the semis, netting a power-play goal with 35.2 seconds left to complete a 3-2 comeback win over Finland. Sidney Crosby, Canada's captain and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, remains a major question mark after suffering an injury in the quarterfinals against Czechia. He participated in a Saturday practice but his status for the gold medal hockey game has not been confirmed. Coach Jon Cooper has been careful with his words, indicating only that Crosby "will not put the team in harm's way." In goal, Jordan Binnington has allowed just seven goals across Canada's five games, posting a .9126 save percentage.
Olympic Hockey History: Last Time USA Won Gold in Hockey
The last time USA won gold in hockey was the legendary 1980 "Miracle on Ice" at Lake Placid, New York — a triumph that remains one of the greatest upsets in sports history. That team, composed of amateur college players, defeated the powerful Soviet Union 4-3 in the semifinals before beating Finland to claim gold. The USA men's hockey team has won Olympic gold only twice: in 1960 and in 1980. Since the NHL began allowing players to participate in the Olympics beginning in 1998, the Americans have twice fallen short in the gold medal game — losing to Canada at Salt Lake City in 2002 and again at Vancouver in 2010, the latter on Crosby's famous overtime golden goal. Canada, meanwhile, has captured nine Olympic gold medals in men's hockey and is seeking its 10th. Their last title in an NHL-player tournament came at Sochi 2014.
USA vs Canada Hockey Prediction and Key Storylines
Canada enters as a slight favorite — listed at -125 to USA's +105 — but the Americans believe this team is built differently than those of the past. The USA hockey team went undefeated through group play and the knockout rounds and enters the gold medal hockey game with a perfect 15-for-15 penalty kill in 26:57 of shorthanded time — a stat that could be decisive against Canada's elite power play featuring McDavid.
The central tension of the USA vs Canada hockey game comes down to Canada's explosive offense against America's suffocating defense. USA hockey coach Mike Sullivan has preached dictating the game's terms rather than reacting. Brady Tkachuk put the stakes plainly: "It's been 46 years. So many players that have paved the way for us that haven't had a chance to win gold. We have an opportunity to achieve a childhood dream."
Men's Hockey Gold Medal Game: The Closing Chapter of Milano Cortina 2026
The hockey gold medal game 2026 is the final event of the entire 2026 Winter Olympics before the Closing Ceremony. This is the 20th all-time Olympic meeting between these rivals, with Canada holding a 12-4 edge in wins. In Olympic finals specifically, Canada has won all three previous gold medal matchups: in 1920, 2002, and 2010. The US women's team won gold at the same Milano Santagiulia Arena just 24 hours earlier, also defeating Canada — adding even more drama to the moment.
Whether it ends in regulation or overtime, USA vs Canada hockey on Sunday morning is positioned to be one of the most watched and most memorable men's hockey games of a generation.
