The dream Olympic hockey matchup was finalized Friday when both Canada and Team USA won their semifinal games in Milan and will face each other in the Gold Medal game on Sunday morning.
This matchup comes just three days after Team USA rallied to beat Canada 2-1 in overtime in the women’s Gold Medal game on Thursday.
So, with Canada and USA playing on Sunday, four players from the Florida Panthers have a chance at bringing home gold: Canada’s Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, and Sam Bennett, as well as Matthew Tkachuk of the United States.
Florida also has general manager Bill Zito and equipment manager Teddy Richards working with Team USA.
Sunday’s game will be a rematch of last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off championship won by Canada in overtime.
“It’s best on best,” Tkachuk said per NHL.com. “It’s what every American and Canadian grows up watching, grows up caring about.
“This is the pinnacle of the sport. This is as good as it gets and a rivalry that’s as good as it gets, so there will be not one TV without this game on in the United States and Canada, and that should get you pretty fired up.”
On Friday, Canada found itself down 2-0 to Finland before Reinhart tipped in a point shot from Cale Makar at 14:20 of the second on a power play to bring the Canadians within a goal.
In the third, Shea Theodore tied the score at 2 midway through — with Nathan MacKinnon scoring on a power play with Florida’s Niko Mikkola in the penalty box with 36 seconds left.
With the 3-2 loss in the semifinals, Finland — the 2022 Olympic champs — will play in the Bronze Medal game today at 2 (USA Network) against Slovakia.
Finland had three of the NHL-high 10 Panthers playing in these Olympic games with Mikkola, Anton Lundell, and Eetu Luostarinen trying to bring home a medal today.
Florida assistant coach Tuomo Ruutu is behind the Finnish bench.
In the nightcap Friday, Team USA had a much easier path to the Olympic championship and were in control of its game with Slovakia from the start.
Dylan Larkin scored 4:19 into the game, and Team USA led 2-0 going into the second eventually winning 6-2.
Tkachuk got his sixth assist of the Olympics.
Team USA’s win set up the much-anticipated showdown with Canada on Sunday at 8:10 a.m. (NBC/Peacock).
The United States has not won a gold medal in men’s hockey since the ‘Miracle on Ice’ at Lake Placid in 1980.
Canada is going for its fourth gold since NHL players began playing in the Olympics in 1998.
Two of Canada’s gold medals since 1998 came against Team USA, winning the title games at the 2002 (Salt Lake City) and 2010 (Vancouver) games.
2026 WINTER OLYMPICS
MEN’S HOCKEY SCHEDULE
Today — Bronze medal game: Finland vs. Slovakia; 2:40 p.m. (USA, Peacock)
Sunday — Gold medal game: United States vs. Canada; 8:10 a.m. (NBC, Peacock)
OLYMPIC RESULTS
Day 1 — Group B: Slovakia 4, Finland 1; Sweden 5 Italy 2
Day 2 — Group A: Switzerland 4, France 0; Canada 5, Czechia 0. Group C: United States 5, Latvia 1; Germany 3, Denmark 1
Day 3 — Group B: Finland 4, Sweden 1; Slovakia 3, Italy 2. Group A: Czechia 6, France 3; Canada 5, Switzerland 1
Day 4 (Saturday) — Group B: Sweden 5, Slovakia 3; Finland 11, Italy 0. Group C: Latvia 4, Germany 3; USA 6, Denmark 3
Day 5 (Sunday) — Group A: Switzerland 4, Czechia 3 (OT); Canada 10, France 2. Group C: Denmark 4, Latvia 2; USA 5, Germany 1
Tuesday’s Qualifiers: Germany 5, France 1; Switzerland 3, Italy 0; Czechia 3, Denmark 2; Sweden 5, Latvia 1.
Wednesday’s Quarterfinals: Slovakia 6, Germany 2; Canada 4, Czechia 3 (OT); Finland 3, Switzerland 2 (OT); United States 2, Sweden 1 (OT)
Friday’s Semifinals — Canada 3, Finland 2; United States 6, Slovakia 2
FLORIDA PANTHERS
2026 MILAN CORTINA OLYMPIC GAMES
United States (5-0-0): F Matthew Tkachuk (5 GP, 0-6, 6 points); D Seth Jones (injured), Bill Zito (assistant GM), Teddy Richards (equipment manager)
Canada (5-0-0): F Sam Reinhart (5 GP; 1-1, 2); F Brad Marchand (3 GP, 0-1, 1); C Sam Bennett (4 GP; 0-1, 1)
Finland (3-2-0): C Sasha Barkov (injured), F Eetu Luostarinen (5 GP; 0-4, 4); D Niko Mikkola (5 GP, 0-3, 3); C Anton Lundell (4 GP; 1-1, 2); Tuomo Ruutu (assistant coach)
Sweden* (3-1-1): D Gus Forsling (5 GP; 1-1, 2); Myles Fee (video coach)
Germany* (2-3-0): Jamie Kompon (assistant coach)
Latvia* (1-3-0): D Uvis Balinskis (4 GP; 0-1, 1); F Sandis Vilmanis(4 GP; 0-0, 0)
(*) — Eliminated
