USA‑Canada Olympic Gold Medal Clash Scheduled Feb 22, MacKinnon Goal Sparks Cheating Claims
Updated (3 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
Canada rallied from a two‑goal hole to book the gold‑medal berth In the semifinal on Feb 20, Canada erased a 2‑0 deficit against Finland, winning 3‑2 on Nathan MacKinnon’s late power‑play tally after goals by Sam Reinhart and Shea Theodore; the team outshot Finland 31‑8 after falling behind and advanced to the final despite Sidney Crosby’s injury, which left his participation uncertain[2].
Sidney Crosby’s leg injury removed him from the semifinal lineup The 38‑year‑old captain left the quarterfinal versus Czechia on Feb 19 after a hit by Radko Gudas caused his right leg to buckle; he did not return, and coaches and teammates expressed hope for his recovery while preparing for the gold‑medal game without him[3].
MacKinnon’s power‑play goal ignited cheating accusations Video analysis suggests MacKinnon may have guided Finland’s Niko Mikkola’s stick into his own face before scoring, prompting Finland Chamber of Commerce chief Juho Romakkaniemi to label the incident a “shameful day for hockey” and accuse the Canadians of cheating; officials, however, called only a penalty on the high‑stick[1].
The gold‑medal showdown will begin at 8:10 a.m. ET on Feb 22 Team USA forward Brady Tkachuk warned of “hatred” and a fierce rivalry ahead of the match, noting Canada’s recent dominance and the game’s early‑morning start time, which sets the stage for the tournament’s climax[1].
Sources
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1.
Newsweek:USA vs Canada Olympic Gold Medal Game Marred by Cheating Allegations: Details the semifinal comeback, MacKinnon’s controversial goal, Finland’s cheating claim, and the Feb 22 gold‑medal schedule, emphasizing rivalry rhetoric from Tkachuk.
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2.
AP:Canada Overcomes 2‑Goal Deficit to Beat Finland and Reach Olympic Gold‑Medal Game: Focuses on Canada’s 3‑2 semifinal victory, Crosby’s knee injury, McDavid’s points record, and depth scoring, confirming the team’s momentum into the final.
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3.
AP:Crosby exits Canada’s Olympic quarterfinal with leg injury; future participation uncertain: Reports Crosby’s leg injury after a hit by Gudas, his absence from the semifinal, and teammates’ reactions, highlighting uncertainty over his return.
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Timeline
Feb 18, 2026 – Sidney Crosby exits Canada’s quarter‑final against Czechia after his right leg buckles from a hit by Radko Gudas, following an earlier unpenalized check by Ondřej Palát; despite his exit, Canada rallies to tie and win in overtime, advancing to the semifinals, while teammates Drew Doughty says “the game must go on,” 19‑year‑old Macklin Celebrini asks for “good thoughts,” and Tom Wilson calls Crosby “the best in the world” [3].
Feb 20, 2026 – Canada overcomes a 2‑0 deficit to defeat Finland 3‑2 in the semifinal, with Sam Reinhart’s deflected shot, Shea Theodore’s blast and Nathan MacKinnon’s late power‑play goal sealing the win; video later suggests MacKinnon may have guided Niko Mikkola’s stick into his own face, prompting Finland Chamber CEO Juho Romakkaniemi to label the outcome “a shameful day for hockey” and accuse Canadians of cheating [2][1]; veteran leaders Nick Suzuki and Connor McDavid stay calm, McDavid adds two assists to set an NHL‑player Olympic points record of 13, and 19‑year‑old Connor Celebrini matches Finland’s combined shot total with eight attempts [2]; coach Jon Cooper stresses depth compensates for Crosby’s absence and says the team must decide his availability for the final [2].
Feb 21, 2026 – Team USA forward Brady Tkachuk warns of “hatred” and a fierce rivalry ahead of the gold‑medal clash, recalling the United States being “one shot away last year” at the 2025 4‑Nations tournament and vowing redemption for players who felt that disappointment [1]; the gold‑medal showdown is set for 8:10 a.m. ET on Sunday Feb 22 against Canada [1].
Feb 22, 2026 – The Olympic men’s ice‑hockey gold‑medal game between the United States and Canada is scheduled for 8:10 a.m. ET, billed as the biggest game of many players’ careers and the culmination of a weekend marked by dramatic comebacks and controversy [1].
2010 & 2014 – Sidney Crosby previously captains Canada to Olympic gold medals, scoring the 2010 golden goal and leading the 2014 gold‑winning team, establishing his legacy that underpins the current tournament narrative [3].