Canada‑USA Olympic Hockey Gold Clash Overshadowed by Cheating Claim
Updated (14 articles)
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Image: NewsweekNathan MacKinnon #29 of Canada celebrates his goal with Sam Reinhart #13 of Canada during the Men’s Semifinal match between Canada and Finland on day fourteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 20, 2026 in Milan, Italy. Source Full size -
Image: NewsweekNathan MacKinnon #29 of Canada celebrates his goal with Sam Reinhart #13 of Canada during the Men’s Semifinal match between Canada and Finland on day fourteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 20, 2026 in Milan, Italy. Source Full size
Gold‑Medal Game Set for Sunday, Feb 22 at 8:10 a.m. ET The United States and Canada will meet in the men’s final on Feb 22 at the unfinished Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena (13.10 GMT) [9]. Both squads entered the knockout round unbeaten, with the U.S. posting a 24‑8 goal tally and a 201‑124 shot advantage, while Canada recorded a 27‑8 differential and a 202‑106 shooting edge [2][3]. NBC will televise the contest in the U.S. and CBC in Canada, with the puck dropping at 2:10 p.m. local time (8:10 a.m. ET, 5:10 a.m. PT) [3][4].
Canada Enters as Slight Betting Favorite, Chasing Tenth Title Odds makers list Canada as a 1½‑goal favorite on BetMGM, reflecting its historic dominance of nine Olympic men’s titles and a bid for a tenth [3][9]. Captain Sidney Crosby remains doubtful after a right‑knee injury, leaving Connor McDavid to wear the “C” and lead a line featuring Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and teen phenom Macklin Celebrini [10][9]. In the semifinal, Canada erased a 2‑0 deficit to defeat Finland 3‑2, with MacKinnon’s late power‑play goal providing the winner [10][1].
United States Aims for First Gold Since 1980 The U.S. last captured Olympic men’s gold in the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” and seeks to end a 46‑year drought [2][9]. After a 6‑2 semifinal victory over Slovakia, the Americans highlighted the Tkachuk brothers (Brady, Matthew) and the Hughes brothers (Quinn, Jack) as key offensive forces, while goaltender Connor Hellebuyck earned praise for his performance [6][3]. The team outshot Slovakia 39‑24 and maintained a flawless 12‑for‑12 penalty‑kill throughout the tournament [7][8].
Cheating Allegations Cast Shadow Over Canadian Power Play Finland Chamber of Commerce chief Juho Romakkaniemi accused Nathan MacKinnon of deliberately guiding Finland’s Niko Mikkola’s stick into his own face before scoring the power‑play winner, calling the outcome “a shameful day for hockey” [1]. A new video analysis suggests MacKinnon may have lifted Mikkola’s stick to his own face, fueling the controversy ahead of the gold‑medal showdown [1].
Sources
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1.
Newsweek: USA vs Canada Olympic Gold Medal Game Marred by Cheating Allegations – Highlights Tkachuk’s rivalry remarks, Canada’s comeback vs Finland, MacKinnon’s disputed power‑play goal, Finland Chamber chief’s cheating claim, and the 8:10 a.m. ET start time .
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AP: U.S. and Canada Set for Olympic Hockey Gold Showdown Sunday – Provides Larkin’s comments, team statistics, undefeated records, quarterfinal narratives, Canada’s gold‑medal history, and Sidney Crosby’s injury uncertainty .
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King5: U.S. and Canada set to battle for men’s hockey gold at Milan‑Cortina – Details broadcast teams, Crosby’s absence, McDavid’s captaincy, brother duos on the U.S. roster, and betting odds favoring Canada .
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King5: U.S. and Canada set to battle for men’s hockey gold at Milan‑Cortina 2026 – Mirrors previous King5 piece with emphasis on NHL return, historic dominance, and broadcast schedule .
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5.
AP: U.S. and Canada Advance to Men’s Hockey Final at Milan 2026 Olympics – Recaps semifinal victories, MacKinnon’s winner, a fight involving the Tkachuk brothers, and includes a photo gallery of celebrations .
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AP: U.S. Beats Slovakia 6‑2, Sets Up Gold‑Medal Clash With Canada – Covers the 6‑2 semifinal win, Zach Werenski’s comments, player reactions from Boldy and Tkachuk, Thompson’s precautionary benching, and Hellebuyck’s goaltending .
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WBNS: USA Beats Slovakia 6-2, Advances to Olympic Gold Medal Game vs Canada – Emphasizes a perfect 12‑for‑12 penalty kill, scoring breakdown, shot dominance, and notes Canada’s simultaneous 3‑2 win over Finland .
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King5: USA Men’s Hockey Beats Slovakia 6‑2, Secures Olympic Gold‑Medal Spot – Lists goal scorers, penalty‑kill record, shot totals, Canada’s semifinal comeback, and Hellebuyck’s performance with Thompson’s precaution .
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BBC: Canada‑USA Men’s Ice Hockey Final Sets Up Historic Olympic Showdown – Announces venue, Canada’s pursuit of a 10th gold, U.S. quest for first since 1980, Crosby’s injury, a stomach bug, and political overtones involving President Trump .
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AP: Canada Overcomes 2‑Goal Deficit to Beat Finland and Reach Olympic Gold‑Medal Game – Describes Canada’s rally, Crosby’s knee injury, McDavid’s captaincy and point record, shot dominance, and Celebrini’s near‑equal shot total .
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AP: U.S. and Canada Advance to Olympic Hockey Semifinals After Overtime Thrillers – Summarizes OT quarterfinal wins, upcoming semifinal matchups, and notes Crosby’s earlier exit due to injury .
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WBNS: USA Men’s Hockey Quarterfinals and Olympic Highlights – Announces quarterfinal schedule vs Sweden, NHL return after 12 years, preliminary victories, and Hellebuyck as starter .
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King5: USA Men’s Hockey Quarterfinals and Olympic Highlights – Mirrors WBNS coverage, adding details on alpine star Mikaela Shiffrin and snowboard slopestyle events .
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14.
AP: Canada and USA Set for Quarterfinal Showdowns at Milan 2026 Olympics – Outlines quarterfinal pairings, Canada’s top‑seed stats, U.S. dominant prelim results, and seeding explanations for Sweden .
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Timeline
1980 – The United States last wins Olympic men’s hockey, pulling off the “Miracle on Ice” upset of the Soviet Union, a benchmark the team still cites as motivation [1].
2014 – Canada captures its most recent Olympic men’s gold, a title it hopes to extend to a historic tenth in Milan [1].
2014 – 2026 – The 2026 Games become the first Winter Olympics since 2014 to allow active NHL players, raising the competition’s profile and prompting league‑wide preparation [1][10].
2025 – A Four Nations showdown erupts into three fights within the first nine seconds, underscoring the intense rivalry that fuels the upcoming Canada‑USA final [1].
2025 – President Donald Trump’s public comments heighten political tension between the two nations, with speculation that his attendance could turn the gold‑medal game into a “political cauldron” [1].
Feb 17, 2026 – The Olympic men’s hockey quarterfinal matchups are announced: Canada faces Czechia, the United States meets Sweden, while Finland plays Switzerland and Slovakia takes on Germany [8].
Feb 18, 2026 – In an overtime thriller, Quinn Hughes scores the winning goal as the United States defeats Sweden 2‑1, securing a semifinal berth [7].
Feb 18, 2026 – Canada survives a 4‑3 overtime win over Czechia, with Nick Suzuki tying the game and Mitch Marner netting the OT winner, keeping the Canada‑USA final possible [7].
Feb 18, 2026 – NBC (U.S.) and USA Network (Canada) schedule live broadcasts of the quarterfinals, marking the first Olympic NHL‑player coverage in 12 years [10][14].
Feb 20, 2026 – The United States beats Slovakia 6‑2 in the semifinal, with Dylan Larkin, Jack Hughes (twice), Jack Eichel and Brady Tkachuk scoring; the team maintains a perfect 12‑for‑12 penalty‑kill record [4][9][12].
Feb 20, 2026 – Canada rallies from a 2‑0 deficit to defeat Finland 3‑2, thanks to goals from Sam Reinhart, Shea Theodore and Nathan MacKinnon; captain Sidney Crosby remains sidelined with a knee injury while Connor McDavid wears the “C” and sets an Olympic points record [5][6][1].
Feb 20, 2026 – Concerns over the unfinished Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena’s ice quality are resolved, allowing the tournament to proceed at the highest level of play [1].
Feb 21, 2026 – Brady Tkachuk warns of “hatred” and intense rivalry ahead of the gold‑medal clash, recalling the U.S. loss at the 2025 Four Nations Face‑Off and demanding redemption [2].
Feb 21, 2026 – A video review suggests Nathan MacKinnon may have guided Finland’s Niko Mikkola’s stick into his own face before scoring the power‑play winner, prompting the Finland Chamber chief to accuse Canada of cheating [2].
Feb 21, 2026 – NBC (U.S.) and CBC (Canada) confirm the gold‑medal game will tip‑off at 2:10 p.m. local time (8:10 a.m. ET, 5:10 a.m. PT) on Sunday, with Kenny Albert, Ed Olczyk and Brian Boucher on the U.S. call‑team [11][13].
Feb 21, 2026 – Betting markets list Canada as a 1½‑goal favorite, reflecting its nine‑title lead over the United States, which last won gold in 1980 (and 1960) [11][13].
Feb 22, 2026 – The men’s hockey gold‑medal game pits the United States against Canada at the unfinished Milano Santagiulia Arena, serving as the final Olympic event before the closing ceremony [1][11].
Dive deeper (11 sub-stories)
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Newsweek: USA vs Canada Olympic Gold Medal Game Marred by Cheating Allegations
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AP: U.S. and Canada Set for Olympic Hockey Gold Showdown Sunday
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U.S. and Canada Set for NHL‑Star Gold Medal Clash as Crosby Misses Final
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AP: U.S. and Canada Advance to Men’s Hockey Final at Milan 2026 Olympics
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AP: U.S. Beats Slovakia 6‑2, Sets Up Gold‑Medal Clash With Canada
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USA Defeats Slovakia 6-2, Secures Spot in Olympic Gold‑Medal Final Against Canada
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BBC: Canada‑USA Men’s Ice Hockey Final Sets Up Historic Olympic Showdown
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AP: Canada Overcomes 2‑Goal Deficit to Beat Finland and Reach Olympic Gold‑Medal Game
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AP: U.S. and Canada Advance to Olympic Hockey Semifinals After Overtime Thrillers
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U.S. Men’s Hockey Set for Sweden Quarterfinal, NHL Players Return to Olympics
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AP: Canada and USA Set for Quarterfinal Showdowns at Milan 2026 Olympics