MILAN – The United States men’s national hockey team secured a coveted spot in the Olympic gold medal game on Friday, defeating Slovakia 6-2 in a dominant semifinal performance at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The victory sets the stage for a highly anticipated showdown with Canada on Sunday, .
The American side, comprised entirely of National Hockey League (NHL) players, demonstrated a clear advantage over their Slovakian counterparts. Dylan Larkin opened the scoring just five minutes into the first period, followed by a goal from Tage Thompson late in the frame. The U.S. Extended its lead in the second period with goals from Jack Hughes – who scored twice within 19 seconds of each other – and Brady Tkachuk, effectively sealing Slovakia’s fate.
This marks the first time in 16 years the U.S. Men’s hockey team has reached the gold medal match, evoking memories of the historic “Miracle on Ice” victory in , when the underdog American team upset the heavily favored Soviet Union. The team last played for gold in , losing to Canada in overtime after a dramatic goal by Sidney Crosby.
The upcoming final against Canada carries particular weight, coming just three days after the U.S. Women’s team claimed gold in a thrilling overtime victory against their Canadian rivals. The men’s team is now aiming to complete a double gold for the United States in hockey.
“It’s going to be a great game,” said U.S. Forward Auston Matthews. “I think last year you kind of saw the two games we played how tight it was and how fast and competitive both teams are. It’s going to be an amazing test for us.”
Canada advanced to the final after overcoming a 2-0 deficit to defeat Finland 3-2 earlier on Friday. They will be seeking their tenth Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey. The status of Sidney Crosby, who sustained an injury in the quarterfinal match against Sweden on , remains uncertain.
The U.S. Victory was a marked improvement over their quarterfinal match against Sweden, which required overtime to resolve. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck proved crucial in both matches, solidifying his position as the team’s starting netminder over Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman.
While the U.S. Dominated the score sheet against Slovakia, the game was not without incident. Tage Thompson left the game in the second period after blocking a shot, though the severity of the injury was not immediately clear. The Americans outshot Slovakia by a significant margin, demonstrating their offensive prowess.
The return of NHL players to the Olympic Games after a hiatus of several tournaments has been a significant factor in the heightened level of competition. The NHL opted out of the Games due to COVID-19 concerns and restricted player participation in , citing disruption to the league schedule. The recent 4 Nations Face-Off, an NHL-run tournament, served as a precursor to the Olympic competition, generating considerable excitement and anticipation.
Slovakia, meanwhile, will compete for the bronze medal against Finland on . The Slovaks are seeking only their second hockey medal in Olympic history, having previously secured a third-place finish at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
For the U.S. Players, the opportunity to compete for Olympic gold represents a lifelong dream. “Watching ‘Miracle’ growing up, thinking of the 1980 Olympic team, it’s just something that, as a kid from the time we’re 5 years old, watching that, we’ve all dreamt of being here, dreamt of winning a gold medal, and we have the opportunity to do that Sunday,” said U.S. Center Vincent Trocheck. Winger Brady Tkachuk added that playing with the support of an entire nation is a humbling experience, emphasizing that the players are “not just playing for yourself.”
