United States Wins Gold Medal At 2026 Winter Olympics
The United States have won the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, capturing their first gold medal since the legendary “Miracle on Ice” team of 1980.
The golden goal, coming from New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes, came early in the game’s three-on-three overtime period. It ended what was an iconic game between two hockey heavyweights. An early goal from Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy gave the Americans a 1-0 lead, but the ice began to tilt in the second period. A goal from Colorado Avalanche defender Cale Makar tied the game in the second period.
Canadian pressure was relentless for the rest of regulation time. The Canadians piled up quality scoring chances, but reigning Hart Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck made save after save to keep the game tied. Hellebuyck’s paddle save on Canadian defenseman Devon Toews, breaking up a prime scoring opportunity, will likely now go down as one of the most iconic saves in the history of USA Hockey.
Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin, who constructed this American roster, came under significant criticism during the lead-up to the tournament for some of his roster decisions. His choice to include a pair of New York Rangers veterans, J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck, rather than lethal goal scorers Jason Robertson and Cole Caufield, was one that drew considerable fire. But Guerin maintained all along that he was looking to build not the “best” team, one that would have as many all-stars as possible, but instead the “right” team, one capable of handling all of the adversity a short best-on-best tournament typically provides.
The Americans went through the tournament without a significant amount of adversity, though, at least compared to the Canadians. Sweden gave them a scare during the quarterfinals when Mika Zibanejad tied the game late, but superstar Quinn Hughes pushed the Americans forward with a fast overtime marker. The Americans flew past the Slovaks in the semifinals, and the United States’ games in the knockout round felt very different from Canada’s games, which were marked by late deficits and dramatic comebacks.
In the end, the margin between the United States and Canada was razor thin. While Canada dominated much of the final two periods of the game, the nature of three-on-three overtime is that it provides a clean slate for every team – it is a distinctly different form of hockey than five-on-five. Hellebuyck kept the Americans in the game, and gave them a chance to win it by delivering them to the overtime period. While Canada had a few chances in overtime, Hughes was the first to convert his, and in doing so, he etched his name into international hockey history.
Olympic Notes: Crosby, Morrissey, Thompson, Pospisil
With the chance to win his third Gold Medal, all eyes are on whether captain Sidney Crosby will play for Team Canada tomorrow. Crosby left Canada’s quarterfinal matchup against Czechia due to a lower-body injury and didn’t appear in the semifinal contest against Finland.
Earlier today, TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported that there’s a “70% chance” that Crosby will play tomorrow. Head coach Jon Cooper and the rest of Team Canada’s staff wanted to see how Crosby handled practice this morning and what his limitations will be tomorrow morning (local time).
Regardless, it would be unimaginable for Crosby not to play in what is likely the last Olympic tournament of his career. Even if he has to take a page out of Victor Hedman‘s book, who remained on Team Sweden’s bench for the quarterfinal game after suffering an injury in warmups, Crosby will likely suit up in some capacity tomorrow.
Other notes from the Olympics:
- One player who will not play for Team Canada tomorrow is defenseman Josh Morrissey. Earlier this week, it seemed that Morrissey might return from his upper-body injury by the semifinals. However, Mike McIntyre of The Winnipeg Free Press reported that he has already been ruled out of the Gold Medal game. Media personnel asked Cooper if he could clarify Morrissey’s injury and if he suffered any setbacks, to which Cooper replied, “No. With all due respect to Winnipeg.“
- After leaving yesterday’s game in the third period for precautionary reasons, Tage Thompson was back on the ice with Team USA this morning. Given that he was back on the ice, there’s every indication he’ll be in the lineup tomorrow morning. He has had a strong performance so far, scoring three goals and four points in five games with a +3 rating.
- In today’s Bronze Medal game between Finland and Slovakia, the latter club was without Martin Pospisil, who has been dealing with a nagging injury for most of the Olympic tournament, according to Arpon Basu of The Athletic. There could be some cause for concern, given that Pospisil missed a decent chunk of the 2025-26 season due to an undisclosed injury in training camp. He finished the Olympics with one assist in six games.
Mikko Rantanen To Miss Bronze Medal Game Due To Injury
A handful of key NHL players have been sidelined with an injury at the 2026 Olympics. Another player has been added to that list as Lejionat’s Jaakko Pertilla reported that Finnish winger Mikko Rantanen was scratched for the Bronze Medal Game against Slovakia due to a lower-body injury.
Rantanen was a full participant in Saturday’s semi-final matchup against Canada. He scored the opening goal of the game and logged 16:09 of ice time in 25 shifts. The 29-year-old came into today’s game as Finland’s leading scorer with two goals and four assists in five games with an ATOI of 18:14.
Of course, this is significant news for Rantanen’s NHL team as well as the veteran is the leading scorer for the Stars this season. In 54 games, he has 20 goals and 49 assists while averaging more than 20 minutes a night of playing time. Any absence from NHL games would be significant.
To that end, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the injury occurred in the third period on Saturday and is not considered to be season-ending. He’s expected to be evaluated when he returns to Dallas to determine the exact severity and how much time he could miss.
Taking Rantanen’s spot on Finland’s top line is Oliver Kapanen, who has been scratched for three games and dressed as the 13th forward without seeing the ice in the other two. Meanwhile, Eeli Tolvanen will return to the lineup after being healthy-scratched versus Canada.
2026 Olympic Men’s Hockey Medal Matchups Set
The stage has been set for the medal games for the 2026 Winter Olympic’s Men’s Hockey tournament. Team Canada was the first to seal a path to the Gold medal game with their 3-2 win over Team Finland on Friday. Soon after, Team USA earned the spot of contender with a confident 6-2 win over Team Slovakia. While the hockey world’s top rivals face off for Gold, the Bronze medal game will host the losing-parties, Finland and Slovakia.
A Canada and USA matchup seemed like the inevitable outcome of the NHL’s return to the Winter Olympics. After three tournaments without the world’s top talent, this year’s tournament has shown the next-level speed, skill, and strength that the NHL’s stars bring. Canada has been led by a superstar top line – with proven-greats Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon joined by Macklin Celebrini, the youngest skater to suit up for Canada at an Olympic men’s hockey tournament. Celebrini has played well above his age, leading the entire tournament in goals with five through as many games. He ranks second in total scoring with 10 points, behind McDavid’s 13 points.
With a robust cast and a confident goalie backing their top line, Canada won’t be an easy out. Team USA will attempt the feat with a well-rounded lineup, backed by reigning NHL Hart Trophy-winner Connor Hellebuyck, the first goalie to win the award since 2015. The Americans have spread their offense out, with each of Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes, and Jack Eichel stepping up to drive play at any given time. Those drivers are flanked by impact scorers like Auston Matthews, Matt Boldy, and Zach Werenski – giving the United States a roster that brings 60 minutes of dangerous offense.
The Team Canada versus Team USA matchup will carry a bit more oomph after the USA women’s team beat Canada by a score of 2-1 on Thursday. During the game, USA captain Hilary Knight recorded her 33rd career point at the Olympics, surpassing Jenny Potter for the country’s women’s record. Knight still ranks behind Canadian star Marie-Philip Poulin‘s 39 career points, though the former prevailed in the Gold matchup.
Meanwhile, Slovakia will stand up to a tough test for the Bronze medal. They brought the fourth-fewest NHL players of any team at this year’s tournament. Despite that, a cohesive and physical front has led the Slovaks above usual-contenders Team Sweden, who brought a full roster of NHL talent. The Finns have 24 NHL players, one shy of a full roster, and have leaned on their stars to push a downhill offense. Mikko Rantanen and Sebastian Aho have set a top pace, while Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell hold a strong line behind them. When the stars are off the ice, Erik Haula, Joel Armia, and Artturi Lehkonen have kept the tempo going. They will have to beat the Slovaks with skill in what should be a closely-fought matchup.
Team Canada and Team USA will compete for Gold at 8 A.M. ET on Sunday morning. The Bronze medal game will take place at 2:40 P.M. ET on Saturday.
Photo courtesy of Geoff Burke-Imagn Images.
Sidney Crosby Ruled Out Of Semifinals, Possible For Medal Game
Feb. 20: Crosby will not play in today’s semifinal matchup against Finland, Hockey Canada announced. As IIHF rules stipulate a captain must be named for each game, Connor McDavid will wear the ‘C’ in his absence. Crosby, who by all accounts avoided a worst-case injury, is still questionable for either the bronze or gold medal game pending today’s result.
Feb. 18: During Canada’s dramatic overtime victory over Czechia in the quarterfinals of the ongoing Winter Olympics men’s hockey tournament, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby was forced out of the game with an injury.
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan relayed word from Canadian head coach Jon Cooper post-game, who said that he didn’t know the extent of Crosby’s injury. According to Kaplan, Crosby will undergo medical imaging to determine the extent of the lower-body injury he suffered. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that Hockey Canada is expected to issue an update on Crosby’s status on Thursday.
As one of the most iconic players in the history of Canadian international hockey competition, Crosby’s status is one of the key storylines to watch as the tournament progresses into the semifinal stage. At this point in time, one can only speculate on whether Crosby will be available for the rest of the tournament.
If Crosby is unavailable, it goes without saying that would be a massive loss for Canada. Crosby has six points in the tournament and his line with Mitch Marner and Mark Stone has been one of Canada’s best.
Any extended absence would also impact the Penguins. Pittsburgh is in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, in large part powered by Crosby’s 59 points in 56 games. Losing Crosby, even for a brief period of time, would make winning on a nightly basis far more challenging for the Penguins.
As of right now, all Canada and Penguins fans can do is wait for Hockey Canada to issue an update regarding Crosby and hope it’s positive.
Hockey France Suspends Pierre Crinon
Although there are no games today, there is still news coming from the Olympics. After sharing yesterday that he would have an in-person hearing, the French Ice Hockey Federation announced that they’ve suspended defenseman Pierre Crinon for the remainder of the Olympics.
During yesterday’s game between Canada and France, Crinon got into a fight with Canadian forward Tom Wilson. The International Olympic Committee suspended neither player for the fight, which is typically barred in Olympic competition; the governing body of hockey in France had other ideas.
Interestingly enough, from their public announcement, the FFHG didn’t appear to take much exception to the fighting. All of their discontent stemmed from Crinon’s theatrics after the fight, being seen egging on fans of Team Canada (video link).
Time will tell how long Crinon’s suspension will last. France lines up against Germany in tomorrow’s playoff round, and they aren’t expected to play beyond that. Cronin, 30, will finish his first Olympic action with one assist in three games.
Regardless, he’ll return to the Ligue Magnus, France’s highest professional league, for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. He has played in the league for the last 13 years, scoring 14 goals and 94 points in 304 games with 541 PIMs, and a +142 rating.
Evening Notes: Team France, Sharangovich, Lund
Hockey France announced earlier today that defenseman Pierre Crinon will meet with Pierre-Yves Gerbeau, president of the FFHG and deputy head of the delegation. Crinon will be summoned “to shed full light on this incident”. In other words, he will need to answer for his actions and may face discipline.
Crinon, a 30-year-old 6’4” defenseman who made stops in the USHL and NAHL over a decade ago, has since played professionally in France. He has been a controversial player, punching an opposing goaltender earlier this season in Ligue Magnus. In the midst of a resounding 10-2 defeat to Team Canada today, Crinon delivered a high hit on Nathan MacKinnon, and more notably, fought Tom Wilson late in the contest.
It was already revealed that Wilson will not face suspension for his role in the incident, but Crinon may have a different fate as he’s brought unwanted negative attention to the French team. While making his way off the ice after the fight, the defenseman was seen egging on the crowd. The Olympics allow for a one-of-a-kind event in which players such as Crinon have the opportunity to compete against the best NHL players in the world. Doing so in honor of their countries, naturally such lesser heralded players want to make a mark, but incidents such as today’s are never a good look.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Calgary Flames may have trouble finding a new home for forward Yegor Sharangovich, as reported by David Pagnotta on February 13’s episode of The Sheet with Jeff Marek. As the team works through what could be a heavy sell-off, Pagnotta says Sharangovich’s name is the least mentioned. On paper, the 27-year-old should have interest in a change of scenery deal, as a former 30-goal-scorer. The Flames were right to lock him up after such a great first campaign in Calgary, but unfortunately things have soured since. The forward has just 20 points on the season, in the first year of a five year contract worth $5.75MM per season. Sharangovich still has strong metrics; a 53.5% corsi for in all situations, and a 87.5% corsi for on the man advantage. His struggles are indicative of a weaker Calgary team, but regardless, it appears he’ll be a Flame for the near future as he works to get back on track.
- San Jose Sharks prospect Cameron Lund will miss multiple weeks due to an upper-body injury, reported by Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. The 2022 second rounder has 25 points in 37 games with the San Jose Barracuda, in his first full professional season after three years at Northeastern University. Lund jumped right into the NHL last year after college, making 11 appearances for San Jose and recording three points. In such a deep prospect pool, Lund is a bit overshadowed, but he has size (6’2”) with enough scoring touch and speed to be a future complementary scorer. The tenth-ranked Barracuda will move forward without Lund having won seven of their last 10 games.
Kings’ Kevin Fiala Suffers Sustains Multiple Left Leg Fractures, Out For The Season
Sunday: The Los Angeles Kings updated today that Fiala underwent successful surgery due to fractures in his lower left leg. As expected, he will miss the remainder of the season, and will be reevaluated in the spring.
Saturday: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Fiala is having surgery today. There still is no word on the precise nature of the injury but Friedman adds that it is indeed season-ending, a significant blow for both Switzerland and the Kings. Fiala will now be eligible to be placed on LTIR but with Los Angeles having ample cap space, it’s unlikely they’ll need to put him there.
Friday: One of the main reasons NHL teams opposed player participation in the Olympics was the concern over injuries that could be avoided. That fear has come to fruition for the Los Angeles Kings. Toward the end of today’s game between Canada and Switzerland, Kevin Fiala had to be stretchered off the ice due to an apparent leg or knee injury.
As mentioned, the injury happened with approximately three minutes left in the game. Fiala absorbed a hit from Tom Wilson and was in immediate pain on the ice. Although the hit was leveled, the incident causing the injury seemed accidental, and more like a freak play. According to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, after the game, Wilson said, “It’s the Olympic Games and I feel terrible that he may not be able to keep playing. Just sending his family and him my best. You never want to see a guy go down, in a tournament like this, especially.”
Still, accident or not, it doesn’t make the situation any easier for the Kings. Fiala is the team’s second-highest scorer with 18 goals and 40 points in 56 games while averaging over 19 minutes of ice time per game.
Considering how starved Los Angeles is for offense, it’s a worst-case scenario. The team recently acquired high-scoring Artemi Panarin before the Olympic break, but that didn’t relieve all of the team’s goal-scoring woes. No, the Kings haven’t yet played with Panarin on the ice, but losing a player with Fiala’s goal-scoring capabilities will objectively make it more difficult for them to put the puck in the net.
There haven’t been many updates regarding Fiala’s immediate status. Arpon Basu of The Athletic reported that Fiala has been taken to a local hospital, and there are concerns that the injury could be season-ending. If that’s the case, the Kings’ uphill climb toward playoff contention just became remarkably more difficult.
Snapshots: Maurice, Morrissey, Davies
Finland wound up in second place in its group at the Olympics and have a chance at a bye before the quarterfinals. However, at one point, it looked like the team could have been led by a different bench boss. Helsingen Sanomat’s Sami Hoffren and Teemu Suvinen report that following a tough showing at the 4 Nations Face-Off and World Championship, a group of NHL veterans made an effort to try to get Panthers head coach Paul Maurice appointed to Finland’s coaching staff for these Olympics. GM Jere Lehtinen acknowledged discussing the idea with the players who wanted the change but nothing further came of it with head coach Antti Pennanen remaining in charge, a role he will hold through the spring of 2027 at a minimum.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey missed Friday’s Olympic game against Switzerland and has already been ruled out for Sunday’s contest against France, relays Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press (Twitter link). However, Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper indicated that “by no means is he out for the tournament.” That suggests that the undisclosed injury is at least relatively minor if he’s going to potentially be back within the next week. That would be a big boost for Canada’s back end as well as Winnipeg’s with a busy stretch of games coming up after the break.
- After having his contract with Florida terminated a little more than a week ago, Josh Davies has found a new team. The AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals announced that they’ve signed the forward to a deal for the remainder of the season. Drafted in the sixth round in 2022, Davies has played primarily in the ECHL over his professional career and it appears he was willing to walk away from the rest of his NHL deal to get an opportunity to play at the AHL level for the first time this season.
Atlantic Notes: Nylander, Levi, Bergqvist
While Maple Leafs winger William Nylander was able to get back in Toronto’s lineup before the Olympics, he hasn’t been practicing fully with Sweden at the Olympics. That has led to speculation that the lingering groin issue he has been dealing with is still bothering him. As Michael Traikos of The Hockey News relays, the veteran winger indicated that while he’s managing the injury, he’s feeling good at the moment. Nylander has a goal and an assist in three games so far with the Swedes wrapping up preliminary round action earlier today. That has to be encouraging for Toronto as they’ll need him at his best if they’re going to have any shot at trying to close the gap in the Atlantic Division to get back into the playoff picture.
More from the Atlantic:
- Sabres goalie Devon Levi acknowledged to Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald that he no longer feels rushed anymore when it comes to his development. Buffalo put him straight into a late-season playoff chase in 2022 but since then, he has struggled at the NHL level. This season, the team had him take a step back as he has played exclusively with AHL Rochester and has done well, posting a 2.57 GAA with a .910 SV% in 32 appearances. Even with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen currently injured, Buffalo will need to have another netminder go down with an injury before Levi becomes a viable option to be recalled this season.
- Canadiens prospect Rasmus Bergqvist has been loaned from the SHL to Ostersunds of the second-tier Allsvenskan, per a team announcement from SHL Skelleftea. The 20-year-old has been a regular with Skelleftea this season while picking up four assists in 37 games, albeit with diminishing ice time. The hope is that the drop to the lower level will allow Bergqvist to play a bigger role while maintaining eligibility to be recalled later in the season or into the playoffs.