Milan, Italy — For the first time since the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, the United States men’s hockey team will play for a gold medal at the Olympics.
In their first semi-final matchup since 2014 in Sochi, Team USA looked confident and took the game to Slovakia, dominating them from the opening faceoff.
The US got off to a fast start, taking a two-goal lead into the first intermission. Dylan Larkin got the scoring started while Tage Thompson doubled the lead just before the period ended. The Americans put all doubt to bed with three goals in the second period, two from Jack Hughes and another from Jack Eichel, on the way to a 6-2 victory Friday night.
Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves on 24 shots and locked things down in goal for the United States. Hellebuyck carried a shutout into the third period before it was broken with 15:05 left in regulation.
It was a much-needed performance from the stars and stripes, but now all eyes are on Canada. “It’s gonna be a battle for the ages,” said Dylan Larkin.
USA Hockey had two goals coming into the 2026 Olympics: to win a gold medal in women’s and men’s hockey. Nothing less. The women won gold in a 2-1 overtime victory over Canada on Thursday. Now the men are just one win away from glory.
US Olympic News:
- Team USA Women’s Hockey Wins Gold in Overtime Over Canada
- U.S. Women’s Curling Team Needs an Extra End to Clinch Semi-Final Place over Switzerland
- U.S. Men’s Curling Team Concedes to Great Britain After Horrible Start
- Quinn Hughes Scores the Overtime Winner for USA Hockey over Sweden
The US got off to a perfect start, taking a 1-0 lead only 4:19 into this semi-final matchup. With both teams changing, Dylan Larkin came off the US bench with rocket fuel in his skates. Defenseman Zach Werenski found his childhood friend in stride, and Larkin beat Slovakian goaltender Samuel Hlavaj short side, past his blocker, to get the party started.
The first period was controlled by the United States, apart from two man-advantage opportunities for Slovakia. The US killed both penalties and would reward themselves with a power play of their own in the waning minutes of the period.
On the man-advantage, Jack Eichel dragged two defenders out of position for Slovakia, freeing up Tage Thompson on the left wall for a one-timer that snuck past the shoulder of Samuel Hlavaj.
Thompson has been a real bright spot for the US in the Olympics after missing out on Four Nations last season, and today he struck again.
Another Second Period Onslaught For Team USA
The middle period proved to be magic once again for Team USA. What started as a 2-0 lead with twenty minutes on the clock turned into a 5-0 lead when both teams headed to their locker rooms.
Slovakia was hanging around down just two goals with just under half the game left to play. Then, Jack Hughes announced his presence to the World.
Growing up around USA Hockey, Jack Hughes’ favorite player growing up was Patrick Kane. Tonight, he looked identical to his idol. Receiving a pass at the top of the blue line, Hughes attacked the middle of the ice with speed. With Tomas Tatar in front of him, Hughes stickhanded right around his former New Jersey Devils teammate and wired a shot past the left ear of Samuel Hlavaj to make it 3-0 USA.
The US didn’t allow Slovakia to recover, and thirty seconds later, they made it 4-0. With both Tkachuk brothers hard on the forecheck, Brady Tkachuk picked the puck up in the corner and hit Jack Eichel in the slot. With no one around him, Eichel pulled Hlavaj out of his crease and easily slid the puck into the net on his backhand.
Shellshocked and looking for anything to light a spark, Slovakian head coach Vladimir Orszagh pulled goaltender Samuel Hlavaj and replaced him with 30-year-old Stanislav Skorvanek. The move from Orszagh is also a forward-thinking one, saving Hlavaj for a potential Bronze medal game against Finland tomorrow afternoon.
The plan to spark the team didn’t pay off for Orszagh, and the deficit eventually grew to five. Just as a USA power play was expiring, Zach Werenski blasted a one-time wide of the net. Luckily for Werenski, his shot acted like a pass, bouncing off the end boards and right into the path of Jack Hughes in the lower left circle. The middle Hughes was quick to react, and his shot beat Stanislav Skorvanek, who dove across his crease in desperation.
Jack Hughes Playing Like Jack Hughes
Over the past couple of seasons, Jack Hughes has been injured on and off again. Coming into these games, Hughes has been dealing with a strained groin, to go along with his lacerated pinky, which he suffered in November. Now in the semi-finals of the Olympics, he’s been one of Team USA’s best players. Fans and media might be shocked by his play this tournament, especially after last year’s Four Nations. But for Jack Hughes, he says he “loves” where his game is at.
“I’ve felt all the way back the last bunch of years. I don’t know, I’ve had a lot of injuries, but I’m a hockey player,” Jack Hughes said. “I think I’ve been playing well. I know everyone doesn’t watch the [New Jersey] Devils every single night, but I love where I’m at, and I’ve always believed in myself. I know the player I am.“
NHL 26 — Built for the Big Moments
Faster gameplay. Cleaner puck movement. More chaos in front of the net. If you live for overtime and rivalry nights, NHL 26 is your next obsession.
In the third period, Slovakia finally found the back of the net. First, it was leading goal scorer Juraj Slafkovsky netting his fourth goal of the tournament after a missed play behind the United States net by Connor Hellebuyck. Then, Pavol Regenda followed that up with a goal on a breakaway, beating Hellebuyck just over his glove hand.
The US got a goal of their own between the two Slovakia goals. It was Vincent Trocheck springing Brady Tkachuk on his second breakaway of the period, this time sliding the puck past the sliding pad of Stanislav Skorvanek to give the Americans their sixth goal of the game.
After a couple of ten-minute misconducts to the Tkachuk brothers and Slovakia’s Erik Cernak, the US cruised to the finish line with a 6-2 victory to advance to one final game in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
What’s Next for the US? Canada for Gold
For the first time since the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, the United States is back in the gold medal game in Men’s Hockey. Their opponents… Canada. “It just feels right,” Dylan Larkin said. Vincent Trocheck, like many others, has dreamt of playing in a gold medal game at the Olympics his whole life.
“This is what you dream of right here,” Trocheck said. “It’s been a long time since the NHL has been in the Olympics, and I think it’s been unbelievable for hockey all over the world.”
Canada has gotten to this point with needing comebacks in both of its elimination games. In the quarter-finals against Czechia, Canada tied the game twice to force overtime, with Mitch Marner ending the game 1:22 into the extra frame. In the semi-finals, they trailed Finland 2-0 late in the second period, but Canada rallied with three unanswered goals, capped off by Nathan MacKinnon with 36 seconds left in regulation, to escape and advance to the gold medal game narrowly.
Last year, the Canadians got the better of the United States in the Four Nations tournament, winning 3-2 in overtime. But that was without Quinn Hughes, Charlie McAvoy (injured earlier in the tournament), and Matthew Tkachuk (also playing injured). Canada could very well be without its captain, Sidney Crosby, on Sunday, who was injured in their quarter-finals game against Czechia, but overall is playing at full strength.
It has all come down to this: one game for all the glory. It’s been 16 years since the United States and Canada have gone toe-to-toe on the biggest stage for an Olympic gold medal.
“This is the pinnacle of the sport,” said Matthew Tkachuk. “This is as good as it gets. A rivalry that’s as good as it gets. So there will not be one TV without this game on in the United States and in Canada, and that should get you pretty fired up.”
On Sunday, the best team in the World will hear its national anthem sung and flag raised to the rafters in celebration, while the other has to endure the pain of losing for the next four years. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:10 a.m. ET at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and is the last event of the Olympics before the closing ceremonies a couple of hours later.
Game Summary
Final Score: United States of America 6, Slovakia 2
Date: February 20th, 2026
Venue: Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, Milan, Italy
Attendance:
Officials: Referees – Gord Dwyer & Chris Rooney; Linesmen – Scott Cherrey & Onni Hautamaki
Scoring Summary
First Period
- 4:19 — USA: Dylan Larkin (Zach Werenski & Tage Thompson) EV — 1-0
- 19:19 — USA: Tage Thomspon (Jack Eichel & Quinn Hughes) PP — 2-0
Second Period
- 12:14 — USA: Jack Hughes (Zach Werenski) EV — 3-0
- 12:33 — USA: Jack Eichel (Brady Tkachuk & Matthew Tkachuk) EV — 4-0 USA
- 18:24 — USA: Jack Hughes (Zach Werenski & Matt Boldy) EV — 5-0 USA
Third Period
- 4:55 — SVK: Juraj Slafkovsky (Adam Ruzicka & Martin Feheravary) EV — 5-1 USA
- 10:52 — USA: Brady Tkachuk (Vincent Trocheck & Noah Hanifin) EV — 6-1 USA
- 13:17 — SVK: Pavol Regenda (Milos Kelemen & Martin Feheravary) EV — 6-2 USA
Team Stats
| Stats Categories | United States of America | Slovakia |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 6 | 2 |
| Shots | 39 | 24 |
| Power Play | 1-5 | 0-5 |
| Penalty Minutes | 30 | 20 |
| Faceoff Won (Percentage) | 37 (66%) | 18 (34%) |
Goaltending
United States of America
- Connor Hellebuyck (W): 22 Saves on 24 shots (.916 SV%)
Slovakia
- Samuel Hlavaj (L): 19 Saves on 23 Shots (0.826 SV%)
- Stanislav Skorvanek: 15 Saves on 17 Shots (0.882 SV%)
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