Canada can claim all the dramatic moments—Team USA is happy to take a much calmer path through the semifinals. 

On the same day Canada’s men’s hockey team needed overtime to secure a spot in the Olympic gold medal game in Milan, the U.S. took a far less stressful route to the 2026 Games final matchup that so many hockey fans had hoped for. The U.S. dominated Slovakia 6-2 on Friday night and will face Canada in Sunday’s Olympic final. 

Three days after the American women’s team beat Canada in a tight contest, the North American men’s rivals will meet in the Olympic final for the first time in 16 years. When the teams last competed for gold in Vancouver that Sunday, Sidney Crosby’s iconic goal gave the host country a moment of national pride forever etched in its memory. (The Canadian women also triumphed over the U.S. in the 2010 final). 

More recently, many of the players suiting up on Sunday in Milan faced off in another top-tier U.S.-Canada showdown about a year ago at the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off in Boston. In that game, Connor McDavid’s late goal broke American hearts. 

At these Olympics, Canada not only had to grind out a 3-2 victory over Finland in the semis—they also needed overtime to knock off Czechia in the quarterfinals. “We’re putting our country through it,” McDavid said after Friday’s win over Finland. “A lot of stressful mornings for everyone at home, but you know what, it’s been fun.” (Some hockey loyalists across the provinces might disagree). The U.S. and Sweden also played a 3-on-3 extra session in the quarters, where a key goal allowed the Americans to advance. 

For the Americans, Friday was free from such nail-biting tension. Four minutes and 19 seconds into the first period, Dylan Larkin’s goal gave the U.S. an early 1-0 lead against Slovakia, which has only seven NHL players on its roster. Some breathing room came later in the period: on a power play, Buffalo Sabres’ Tage Thompson took a point pass from Jack Eichel and fired a blistering shot from the wing past Slovakia’s keeper Samuel Hlavaj—a Minnesota Wild minor leaguer who had mostly shined at this Olympic tournament before that night. 

The U.S. continued to pile on goals in the second period. Just over halfway through, Jack Hughes scored a smooth left-handed goal to push the U.S. advantage to 3-0. Nineteen seconds later, Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel got in on the scoring: his goal, which made it 4-0, was assisted by both Tkachuk brothers, Brady and Matthew. Hlavaj was sent to the bench, his evening done. About six minutes later, Hlavaj’s replacement Stanislav Skorvanek got a taste of American firepower as Hughes scored another goal. 

Slovakia finally got on the board in the final stanza: Montreal Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky slipped a shot past American keeper Connor Hellebuyck to avoid a shutout. Brady Tkachuk’s breakaway pushed the U.S. lead to 6-1, and Slovakia responded with a Pavol Regenda goal. 

So the stage is set for Sunday: Team USA and Canada in the gold medal final to close out the Milano Cortina Olympic Games. The promise of one last thrilling showdown.

What more could anyone ask for?