Blue Jackets star Zach Werenski and the United States have one game left at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and it’s a rivalry matchup against Canada for a gold medal.
Milano Cortina 2026: Werenski helps U.S. down Sweden in Milano Cortina 2026 quarterfinal
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The hockey superpowers will drop the puck Feb. 22 at Milano Santagiulia Arena in a rematch of the gold medal game at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, which Canada won in overtime on a goal by Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. Crosby missed Canada’s semifinal victory over Finland on Feb. 20 with an injury and is questionable for the gold medal game, which is also a rematch of last year’s NHL 4 Nations Face-Off championship game Feb. 21, 2025, at TD Garden in Boston.
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CBJ’s Zach Werenski at 2026 Olympics
Zach Werenski of United States during training at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, Milan, Italy on February 08, 2026.
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CBJ’s Zach Werenski at 2026 Olympics
Zach Werenski of United States during training at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, Milan, Italy on February 08, 2026.
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CBJ’s Zach Werenski at 2026 Olympics
U.S. Olympians Jeremy Swayman, Zach Werenski, Charles McAvoy Jr and Jake Oettinger pose for a photo at the Team USA Welcome Experience at the 206 Milan-Cortina Olympics on February 06, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
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CBJ’s Zach Werenski at 2026 Olympics
U.S. Olympians Jack Eichel, Jacob Slavin, Matt Boldy and Zach Werenski attend the Team USA Welcome Experience at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics on February 08, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
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CBJ’s Zach Werenski at 2026 Olympics
Brock Faber #14 and Zach Werenski #8 of Team United States take part during training on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 08, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
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CBJ’s Zach Werenski at 2026 Olympics
Quinn Hughes #43 and Zach Werenski #8 of Team United States participate during training on day three of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 09, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
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CBJ’s Zach Werenski at 2026 Olympics
Zach Werenski #8 of Team United States takes part during training on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 08, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
Canada won that one in OT, too, when Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid decided it. Werenski led all scorers in that tournament with six points on six assists in four games, and the Blue Jackets star has averaged a point per game for the U.S. in the Winter Olympics with a goal, four assists and five points.
That includes three primary assists in a 6-2 rout over Slovakia on Feb. 20 in the semifinals, a game that Johnny Gaudreau’s parents, Guy and Jane, wife, Meredith and two of their three kids, Noa and Johnny, watched from the stands.
Canada goes into the gold medal game retaining its status as the No. 1 seed. The No. 2 seed U.S. blitzed its way into the matchup by dominating Slovakia after easily winning its group in the preliminary round and eking past Sweden on Feb. 18 in the quarterfinals with a 3-on-3 overtime goal by Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes.
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 20: Zach Werenski #8 of Team United States skates with the puck in the first period during the Men’s Semifinals Playoff match between the United States and Slovakia on day fourteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 20, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
What time will Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, United State play Canada for a gold medal at Milano Cortina 2026?
The puck is scheduled to drop for the U.S. and Canada at 8:10 a.m. ET on Feb. 22 at Milano Santagiulia Arena in Milan, Italy.
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 20: Martin Fehervary #42 of Team Slovakia and Zach Werenski #8 of Team United States compete for the puck in the second period during the Men’s Semifinals Playoff match between the United States and Slovakia on day fourteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 20, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
How to watch Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, United States play Slovakia at Milano Cortina 2026?
The game will be broadcast live on NBC at 8:10 a.m. ET on Feb. 18 and re-air at 4:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. The broadcast will also be livestreamed on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
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Stream the Olympics on Peacock.
Zach Werenski #8 of Team United States walks to the ice before the Men’s Preliminary Group C match between the United States and Germany on day nine of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 15, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
Werenski showed his elite offensive skill with three primary assists against Slovakia, including a beautiful tape-to-tape stretch pass to his longtime friend and college teammate, Dylan Larkin, for the first goal less than five minutes into the game.
The output pushed Werenski’s tournament scoring line to one goal, four assists and five points in five games, and he’s showing the skills that have the Blue Jackets star atop all NHL defensemen this season with 20 and a 1.19 scoring average. He trails Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard for the league’s overall scoring lead among defensemen by just one point while playing five fewer games.
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Regardless, Werenski is being used on the third defensive pairing and second power-play unit by a U.S. coaching staff led by Mike Sullivan (New York Rangers). Quinn Hughes, who was acquired by Minnesota Wild/U.S. general manager Bill Guerin in a mid-season trade, is getting the most ice time and biggest roles at the Winter Olympics.
Zach Werenski of United States celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates against Germany in men’s ice hockey group A play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
Werenski hasn’t even played with a set defensive partner in this tournament, splitting his shifts between Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin. Sullivan and his assistants, including former Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella, finally started to skate Werenski sporadically with Hughes on the top U.S. pairing in the preliminary round, and they thrived as a pairing against Denmark and Germany.
Against Sweden, it didn’t happen as much, and the U.S. clung to a 1-0 lead that evaporated on a tying goal by Mike Zibanejad with 1:31 left in regulation. Hughes won that game in OT, but it was a close call. Werenski and Hughes playing together might be something the U.S. needs to use against Canada, especially if they fall behind by multiple goals or trail in the third period.
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Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: How to watch Zach Werenski play for gold at 2026 Winter Olympics