On Friday in Milan, the men’s hockey teams from Canada and the United States took care of business to set up the gold medal game both countries wanted: against each other.
Canada fell behind early, 2-0, to Finland before staging a late comeback in the second elimination game in a row. It was Nathan MacKinnon from Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini late in the third period to give them the final lead of the game and the semifinal victory.
In the other semifinal, Team USA had an easier time against the scrappy Slovakian squad. After getting out early due to a Dylan Larkin snipe in the first period, the Americans survived back-to-back penalty kills before taking full control of the game. They didn’t need to go to overtime like they did against Sweden, winning 6-2.
It’s the rematch of last year’s Four Nations tournament final. Neither team likes the other. The last time the two teams met in the Olympic men’s final, it was arguably the biggest goal in Canadian history, when Sidney scored in extra time against Team USA at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Everything is set up for an epic clash, except for the time it starts in North America.
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On the east coast, the puck will drop at 8:10 AM on Sunday morning. For people out west in Vancouver or Los Angeles, that’s a 5:10 AM start.
It’s the final event at the Winter Olympics before the closing ceremony later that night. While that in itself is a huge honor, fans from Canada and the United States don’t think so online.
If Canada wins, it will be their first Olympic gold medal since 2014, the last time NHL players were present at the Games.
If the United States wins, it will be their first Olympic gold since the “Miracle on Ice” back in 1980.
