By STEPHEN WHYNO, AP Hockey Author
MILAN (AP) — The much-anticipated however by no means assured U.S.-Canada showdown for gold in males’s hockey at the Olympics is on.
Jack Hughes scored two objectives, together with one with a highlight-reel particular person effort, and the People rolled into the ultimate by routing Slovakia 6-2 within the semifinals on Friday evening.
They’ll meet event favourite and top-seeded Canada on Sunday for the title, a 12 months because the North American rivals performed two memorable games towards one another on the 4 Nations Face-Off.
That NHL-run occasion ended a drought of almost a decade with out a global event that includes one of the best hockey gamers on this planet. Three fights within the first 9 seconds within the first assembly put the 4 Nations within the highlight, and their epic remaining gained by Canada in additional time solely constructed the anticipation for the Olympics.
After Canada did its part by rallying to beat Finland earlier within the day, the U.S. had no hassle towards the Slovaks, who made an improbable run and had been merely overmatched. They’ll face the Finns for bronze on Saturday evening, searching for simply the second hockey medal within the nation’s historical past after getting the primary with a third-place end in Beijing in 2022.
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United States’ Tage Thompson (72) celebrates with Matthew Tkachuk (19) and Jack Eichel (9) after Thompson scored towards Slovakia in the course of the first interval of a males’s ice hockey semifinal sport on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photograph/Carolyn Kaster)
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United States’ Tage Thompson (72) celebrates with Matthew Tkachuk (19) and Jack Eichel (9) after Thompson scored towards Slovakia in the course of the first interval of a males’s ice hockey semifinal sport on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photograph/Carolyn Kaster)
The U.S. is enjoying for gold after the semifinals had been a a lot simpler go than the quarterfinals towards Sweden, when overtime was needed to outlive a scare. Dylan Larkin, Tage Thompson, Hughes and Eichel scored the 4 objectives on 23 photographs that chased Samuel Hlavaj out of Slovakia’s internet previous the halfway level of the second interval.
Thompson, one in all only a handful of newcomers who didn’t play on the 4 Nations, exited later within the second after blocking a shot. He was held out the remainder of the way in which, in accordance with the NBC broadcast.
Hughes bought his second simply after an influence play expired, and Brady Tkachuk scored on a breakaway with simply over 9 minutes left to offer some extra respiratory room.
Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck did his job as his teammates outshot Slovakia by a considerable margin. Every thing he has accomplished on the Olympics has validated coach Mike Sullivan’s resolution to go along with Hellebuyck because the U.S. starter over Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman.
The U.S. final reached the ultimate in 2010 when it misplaced to Canada in additional time on Sidney Crosby’s well-known golden objective. Crosby’s standing is unsure this time after getting injured within the quarterfinals Wednesday and never enjoying Friday towards Finland.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
