It feels like the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics just began, but here we are more than two weeks after the Opening Ceremony, and the flame is about to be extinguished. Literally. The Olympics Closing Ceremony, which features the ceremonial extinguishing of the Olympic flame, is this Sunday, Feb. 22, and you can watch the entire event live on Peacock and NBC at 2:30 p.m. ET. (A primetime version will also be broadcast on NBC at 9 p.m.).
Here’s a look at everything you need to know to watch the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics Closing Ceremony, including who will be there, what channel it’s on, and when to watch. And as we close out the Games, here’s a look at the final medal count, too.
Advertisement
How to watch the Closing Ceremony at the 2026 Winter Olympics
Date: Sunday, Feb. 22
Time: Airs live at 2:30 p.m. ET, primetime re-air at 9 p.m. ET
Location: Verona Arena, Verona, Italy
TV channel: NBC
Streaming: Peacock, DirecTV, NBC.com, and more
How to watch the Closing Ceremony live for free:
There are a couple ways to watch the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 22. You can tune in live at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon, or catch the encore broadcast at 9 p.m. ET that night. Both broadcasts will air on NBC, which is available with DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV and more.
More ways to watch the Closing Ceremony in Milan without cable:
You can watch the Closing Ceremony live or on demand on Peacock as well as on NBC.com, NBCOlympics.com, and the NBC app.
For $17 monthly you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription which includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.
Who is performing at the 2026 Olympics Closing Ceremony?
Electronic musician Gabry Ponte is one of the headliners at the Closing Ceremony at the Winter Olympics. Other confirmed performers include Italian actress Benedetta Porcaroli and Italian ballet dancer Roberto Bolle. Expect to see another parade of athletes, the flag handover to the 2030 Olympic hosts from France, and the ceremonial extinguishing of the Olympic flame.
Where is the 2026 Olympics Closing Ceremony being held?
The 2026 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony will be held at the Verona Arena in Verona, Italy.
Winter Olympics 2026: Eileen Gu wins second consecutive gold in women’s freeski halfpipe
Eileen Gu, the American-born freeskier who competes for China, has won her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the women’s halfpipe. After pulling out on her first run, Gu bounced back with a 94.00 in Run 2 and a 94.75 in Run 3.
Both were good enough for gold.
Advertisement
China took the first two spots on the podium, with Gu’s teammate Li Fanghui earning silver with a 93.00 on her third run.
Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin, Gu’s classmate at Stanford, was on top after her first run, but couldn’t recover from missing a landing on her second, despite getting the most amplitude on her jumps among the competitors in the field.
She scored a 92.50 on her third run to finish behind Gu and Fanghui after placing first during qualifying.
Gu, 22, has earned six medals across two Winter Olympic Games, making her the most accomplished freestyle skier in Olympic history.
“Being able to lead the way and pioneer the sport is something I never imagined I’d be able to do,” Gu said after the halfpipe final. “But I’m really honored and proud that I have.”
Advertisement
In Milan Cortina, her gold in the halfpipe joins the silver medals she earned in slopestyle and big air. She was the only freestyle skier to compete in all three events, let alone earn medals in each of them. At the 2022 Beijing Games, Gu took gold in Halfpipe and big air, along with silver in slopestyle.
“The reason I love the records so much is that it’s not about man or woman,” Gu added. “I’m the most decorated freeskier of all time, male or female. I have the most gold medals ever, male or female. That’s a testament to competitive strength, it’s mental strength. It’s being able to perform under pressure.”
Beginning her Olympic career at such a young age, it appears more than likely that Gu will add to her impressive medal total in four years at the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps.
Gu has also become a controversial figure over her choice to represent China, where her mother was born, despite herself being born in San Francisco. Being an accomplished athlete and photogenic star in both countries has allowed her to make millions of dollars, reportedly $23.1 million in 2025.
Advertisement
Team USA’s Kate Gray (66.50) and Svea Irving (22.50) finished 10th and 11th, respectively, in the competition. Irving landed hard on her right hip on her first run and did not complete her third.
Sunday’s event was delayed from Saturday due to heavy snow making the halfpipe course unsafe for competition.
USA vs. Canada men’s hockey: Sidney Crosby out of Winter Olympics gold-medal game due to injury
MILAN — Sidney Crosby has been ruled out of Canada’s Olympic gold-medal game against the United States. The news came about an hour before the start of the game.
Crosby, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, suffered a lower-body injury during Canada’s quarterfinal victory over Czechia. His status for Sunday’s game had been in doubt right up until the official announcement.
Advertisement
In the game against Czechia, Crosby was hit along the boards in the second period by Czechia’s Martin Nečas and Radko Gudas, the third major hit he’d taken that period. He exited the ice soon afterward, limped toward the locker room, and was soon ruled out of that game.
Canada head coach Jon Cooper said on Friday that he believed Crosby had a chance to play in the gold-medal game, but clearly the 38-year-old Canadian captain did not recover in time to be in Canada’s active lineup.
“He’s Sidney Crosby,” Connor McDavid said after Crosby’s injury. “He’s going to have a big influence no matter what. In the lineup, not in the lineup, he’s going to have a big influence. That’s what he does.”
Advertisement
Crosby, the oldest player on Canada’s roster, has played in three Olympic Games for Canada, and has won two golds, in Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014. Crosby scored Canada’s golden overtime goal in 2010 that sent Canada past the United States. He skated in practice on both Friday and Saturday but made no public statements, as both practices were closed to media.
McDavid will again be the playing captain for Team Canada, as he has been since Crosby’s injury.
Crosby has scored two goals and four assists while in Milan, and holds the Canadian NHL-era Olympic record with 16 total points.
NFL players preach importance of mental health after death of Vikings WR Rondale Moore
Content warning: This story contains references to suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide and needs support now, call or text 988 or chat with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988lifeline.org.
The death of Rondale Moore, a talented wide receiver whose pro and college careers were marred by injuries, sent a tragic jolt through the NFL on Saturday.
Advertisement
The news came after two straight missed seasons for Moore, who sustained season-ending knee injuries during the preseason in both 2024 and 2025. His talent had never been in doubt since his All-American season at Purdue as a freshman in 2018, but luck was never on his side.
New Albany police chief Todd Bailey told reporters on Saturday night that Moore was found in a garage with a gunshot wound suspected to be self-inflicted.
What soon became clear is that Moore was beloved and respected by his NFL peers, all of whom knew what he was capable of when healthy. He had friends throughout the league, and one of them, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown, was hit particularly hard.
The two played together for two seasons on the Arizona Cardinals, and Brown posted on social media that he had received messages from Moore just hours earlier. He later posted a screenshot of an encouraging message he sent Moore last August, a couple of days after Moore’s injury.
Both Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. alluded to recent conversations with Moore, as well.
The NFL Players Association, for which Moore served as a player rep, posted a statement urging its members to reach out for support if they’re struggling with mental health and to check on their teammates:
“In moments like this, we are reminded of how much our players carry, on and off the field. To our members: Please know that support is always within reach. Check on your teammates and prioritize your mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling, we encourage you to take advantage of the many confidential resources and services available to you through the NFLPA.”
Many other players concurred, telling their followers to check in on their loved ones.
Carolina Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson also came forward with his own experience going to therapy.
Las Vegas Raiders safety Jamal Adams had his own take, questioning the treatment of “injury prone” players such as Moore and reminding his followers how arduous the recovery process can be, both mentally and physically.
Above all, the reaction is a reminder that athletes are humans at their core. No one feels the pain of an injury as much as they do, but that doesn’t stop the torrent of vitriol that can be aimed at them on social media for the crime of not being able to do their jobs. It seems to be a league-wide frustration — one that spans the sports industry, really — and the players can only hope they’re listened to in the aftermath of Moore’s death.
Olympics news, live updates: U.S. now has its most gold medals in a single Winter Games, will look to add USA hockey gold on Sunday
The 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics have reached their final day.
And with a little time to spare, Team USA now has its most gold medals at a single Winter Games, beating its previous high of 10.
Here are the final events of these Games:
Advertisement
Team USA vs. Canada (8:10 a.m. ET)
The U.S. men’s hockey team will look to add to the gold-medal haul on Sunday morning when they take on Canada in the gold-medal game. Team USA is looking for its first men’s hockey gold since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team that upset the Soviet Union.
Eileen Gu adds another gold to her collection
The freestyle skiing halfpipe final was postponed due to a snowstorm, but that didn’t stop Eileen Gu, the American-born freeskier who competes for China, from winning her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the women’s halfpipe. After pulling out on her first run, Gu bounced back with a 94.00 in Run 2 and a 94.75 in Run 3.
Advertisement
Both were good enough for gold.
Sweden takes gold over Switzerland in final curling showdown
After the U.S. women fell to Canada in the curling bronze medal game, Switzerland and Sweden faced off for gold on Sunday morning, with the latter coming out victorious 6-5. Sweden also took gold in mixed doubles curling earlier in these Olympics.
Closing Ceremony (2:30 p.m. ET)
The Closing Ceremonies will take place in Verona, east of Milan, at the historic Verona Arena. Women’s hockey gold medalist Hilary Knight and ice dance silver medalist Evan Bates will be the United States flag bearers for the ceremony.
Advertisement
How many medals has Team USA won so far? Check in with our medal tracker for the full breakdown.
Dates: Feb. 6 – Feb. 22
TV channel: NBC
Streaming: Peacock
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for all the news, events and medals from the Milan Cortina Olympics:
-
Ian Casselberry
The U.S. and Canada each have eight shots on goal as the first period ends. At one point, Canada had a 7-2 advantage, so Team USA really increased the pressure late in the period, helped by a power play opportunity.
-
Ian Casselberry
Sweden defeated Switzerland, 6-5, in 10 ends to win the gold medal in women’s curling.
Anna Hasselborg scored the final point to give Sweden its fourth consecutive gold for the Swedish team, joining the championships won in Sochi, Pyeongchang and Beijing.
Hasselborg is the second Swedish skip to win two gold medals, joining Anette Norberg. Altogether, five Swedish curlers have earned two Olympic golds, including Sara McManus, Agnes Knochenhauer and Sofia Scharback.
Overall, Sweden has medaled in seven of the eight Winter Olympics since women’s curling was added to competition in 1998. The Swedes have earned four golds, one silver and two bronze.
Switzerland gets its third silver medal in women’s curling, joining those won in Salt Lake City and Turin.
-
Ian Casselberry
Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby will not play against the U.S. in Sunday’s gold medal men’s ice hockey final.
Crosby, 38, suffered a right leg injury during Canada’s quarterfinal matchup versus Czechia and did not play in the semifinals against Finland. The hope was that Crosby would recover in time for Sunday’s final, but the decision was made before gametime.
Follow Yahoo Sports’ live blog for the USA-Canada final here.
-
Ian Casselberry
Germany did not sweep the medal podium in 4-man bobsled. However, the Germans took the first two spots with the team piloted by Johannes Lochner taking gold and Francesco Friedrich’s team getting silver.
Lochner’s gold joins the silver his team won in Beijing. He and George Fleischhauer also took gold in two-man bobsled at the Milan Cortina Games.
Switzerland, piloted by Michael Vogt. made a late surge to get a spot on the podium.
-
Ian Casselberry
Eileen Gu saved her best for last, scoring a 94.75 on her final run and reaching 4.0 meters on her highest jump to win her second consecutive gold medal in women’s freeski halfpipe.
-
Ian Casselberry
Eileen Gu has won her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the women’s freeski halfpipe. After pulling out on her first run and scoring a 30.00, she bounced back significantly with a 94.00 and 94.75.
China took the first two spots on the podium with Gu’s teammate Li Fanghui earning silver with a 93.00 on her third run.
Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin was on top after her first run, but couldn’t recover from missing a landing on her second. She scored a 92.50 on her third run to finish behind Gu and Fanghui.
-
Ian Casselberry
Eileen Gu earns a 94.75 on her third run in the women’s freeski halfpipe final, improving on the 94.00 she scored on her second run. She landed all of her tricks and got strong amplitude, reaching 4.0 meters on her jump.
Eileen Gu won her second consecutive Olympic gold in the women’s freeski halfpipe at the Milan Cortina Games, excelling on her final two runs. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
(Cameron Spencer via Getty Images)
Zoe Atkin will be the final skier in this third run with a chance to overtake Gu for gold.
-
Ian Casselberry
After three runs, Germany holds the top three spots in the 4-man bobsled competition. The team of Francesco Friedrich, Matthias Sommer, Alexander Schuller and Felix Straub are in first place.
Team USA has the ninth and 10th spots with the team of Frankie Del Duca, Boone Niederhofer, Bryan Sosoo and Joshua Williamson the closest.
-
Ian Casselberry
Li Fanghui puts China in the first two spots after scoring a 91.50 on her second run. She and Eileen Gu are one and two.
Zoe Atkin followed and hit the edge of the pipe as she tried to land an alley-oop, causing her to lose both skis as she landed. She gets a “DNI” for her second run, though did reach 5.4 meters on one of her jumps.
Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin falls on her second run of the Women’s Freeski Halfpipe Final at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
(David Ramos via Getty Images)
-
Ian Casselberry
Shaking off her first run, Eileen Gu rebounded with a strong second run. She landed the alley-oop that she missed the first time, though didn’t get quite as high with her jumps as Zoe Atkin did on her first run.
Gu scores a 94.00 to move into first with Atkin still to go.
-
Ian Casselberry
After finishing first in qualifying, Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin stays in top form on her first run in the women’s freeski halfpipe final.
She got great amplitude, reaching 4.5 metres on her highest jump.
Eileen Gu earned a 30.00 on her first run and is eighth going into the second run.
-
Ian Casselberry
Eileen Gu’s first run in the women’s freeski halfpipe final will be a throwaway. She earned a 30.00 after pulling out on the run after a shaky landing on her first trick.
Canada’s Kate Fraser scored an 85.00 on her first run and is currently in first. USA’s Kate Gray placed seventh with a 44.50.
-
Ian Casselberry
We have some extra Winter Olympics action on this final day with the women’s halfpipe final, which was delayed yesterday due to snow.
Representing China, this is Eileen Gu’s last chance to leave the Milan Cortina Games with a gold medal after she won silver in Slopestyle and Big Air. She is defending the gold she won in Beijing.
China’s Eileen Gu is pursuing her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the women’s freeski halfpipe. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Americans Kate Gray and Svea Irving will compete in the event for Team USA. But Zoe Atkin — American, but competing for Great Britain — might be Gu’s top challenger today. Atkin finished first in qualifying, while Gu placed fifth.
-
-
Jeff Eisenberg
The showdown that the hockey world has waited a dozen years to see again on an Olympic stage is finally here.
It’s the U.S. vs. Canada in Sunday’s gold-medal match. The stakes could not possibly be any higher.
“This is the pinnacle of the sport, this is as good as it gets,” American forward Matthew Tkachuk said.
Then, perhaps forgetting that the puck will drop at 8:10 a.m. ET, Tkachuk added optimistically, “There will not be one TV without this game on in the United States and Canada. That should get you pretty fired up.”
The Americans have not won Olympic gold in men’s hockey since the iconic “Miracle on Ice” 46 years ago. They last reached the gold-medal match in Vancouver in 2010 when Sidney Crosby’s overtime goal lifted host Canada to victory in what remains the most-watched TV broadcast in that hockey-obsessed country’s history.
While nine-time champion Canada won the last two times the Olympics featured NHL players in 2010 and 2014, a best-on-best U.S. victory on Sunday would not be a miracle. The Americans came to Milan with a roster overflowing with NHL talent and the unwavering belief that it is at last their time again.
Many of Sunday’s key players were also on the ice last February when the U.S. and Canada split a pair of tense, hard-fought games at the 4 Nations Face-Off. The Americans won the round-robin matchup in a game that began with three fights in the opening nine seconds. Connor McDavid’s overtime goal secured revenge for the Canadians in the final just a few days later.
Will Canada celebrate Olympic gold for the 10th time? Or will the U.S. end its decades-long drought? Let’s address five key questions about Sunday’s blockbuster gold-medal match.
-
Andy Backstrom
It’s hard to believe, but the Milan Cortina Olympics are coming to an end. The Closing Ceremony is on Sunday in Verona, Italy, where Team USA will be led by two of its brightest stars.
It was announced Friday that U.S. women’s hockey hero Hilary Knight and ice dance icon Evan Bates will carry the American flag during the ceremony.
Knight, fittingly known as “Captain America,” is coming off a dramatic win over Team Canada in the gold-medal game. The U.S. was trailing 1-0 with a bit more than two minutes left in regulation on Thursday. That was, before the 36-year-old Knight scored a game-tying and record-breaking goal to force overtime.
-
Dan Wolken
The United States set a new American record for gold medals won at a Winter Olympics on Saturday. And it came from a discipline where Team USA hadn’t had any success earlier in the Games.
After disappointing performances in the individual aerials events, the mixed team of Kaila Kuhn, Connor Curran and Chris Lillis got to take home some hardware, defending the gold medal Team USA won in this event four years ago in Beijing.
It was the 11th gold of these Games for the U.S., topping its previous Winter Olympics record set in Salt Lake City 24 years ago.
“We’ve had a lot of success with (this event), and I think the fact a lot of U.S. athletes come from team sports and just using each other as motivation really helps us, especially in aerials skiing,” said Lillis, who was the only holdover from the 2022 team and thus became the most decorated aerials skier in Team USA history. “It can feel kind of lonely up there, but if you watched our team at any point in the day, we literally vibe off each other so much and each person that puts down a great jump just motivates the next person.”
-
After a disappointing finish to his Olympics competition, Ilia Malinin put together a stellar rebound performance in Saturday’s gala.
-
Finland takes the bronze medal in the men’s ice hockey tournament with a 6-1 win over Slovakia.
Tomas Tatar cut Slovakia’s deficit to 2-1, scoring with 30 seconds remaining in the second period. But Finland responded with a four-goal onslaught in the third.
Roope Hintz, Kaapo Kakko and Joel Armia each found the net, and Erik Haula tallied an empty-net goal after Slovakia pulled Samuel Hlavaj with four minutes left in the game. Haula finished with two scores.
-
Yahoo Sports Staff
Canada took down Great Britain with a hard-fought 9-6 win in Saturday’s gold medal match. It’s the fifth curling gold medal for the Canadian men and first since 2014. Great Britain has yet to win the event.
Team Canada’s Brad Jacobs, Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant and Ben Hebert and coach Paul Webster pose with their gold medals Saturday after defeating Great Britain in the men’s curling final.
(Mattia Ozbot via Getty Images)
USA vs. Canada Olympics hockey gold medal game: Live updates and score
It all comes down to this on the final day of the Milan Cortina Olympics: Team USA vs. Canada for the gold medal in men’s hockey.
The U.S. is looking for its first medal in men’s hockey since 2010, when it won silver behind Canada, and its first gold medal since 1980’s “Miracle on Ice” squad toppled the Soviet Union team. Canada’s last medal was bronze at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang.
Advertisement
While Canada has historically had the upper hand in the rivalry, writes Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Eisenberg, the Americans arrived in Milan with the strongest roster they’ve ever brought to an Olympics and the belief that it is at last their time again. The U.S. can’t match Canada’s array of top-tier attacking talent, but the Americans have a three-time Vezina Trophy winner in goal and some of the NHL’s top defensemen.
“You want to go through the best and right now that’s them,” U.S. defender Quinn Hughes said. “If we played them in a best-of-seven, it would probably go seven. On Sunday, it’s just going to be whoever is better on that day.”
Date: Sunday, February 22
Start time: 8:10 a.m. ET
Location: Milano Santagiulia IHO Arena
TV channel, live stream: NBC, Peacock
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest updates from the Olympics men’s ice hockey final, featuring Team USA against Team Canada:
-
Ian Casselberry
Well, if Cade Makar showed some frustration earlier, he alleviated it by tying the game at 1-1. He was wide open on the left side, taking a pass from Devon Toews and slapped a shot past Connor Hellebuyck.
-
Ian Casselberry
Cade Makar slapped at Connor Hellebuyck’s glove after the U.S. goalie stopped his shot from the left crease. Perhaps showing some frustration at Canada not being able to capitalize on its opportunities.
Matthew Tkachuk and Dylan Larkin didn’t care for that and shoved Makar into the boards and a brief tussle ensued behind the net.
-
Ian Casselberry
-
Ian Casselberry
Connor Hellebuyck has been excellent in goal, but Team USA’s defense has also been strong in front of him. During Canada’s 5-on-3 power play, they really didn’t get any good scoring chances.
-
Jay Busbee
MILAN — Canada had almost two full minutes of a two-man advantage and couldn’t convert it into a goal. The crowd was almost silent during the final 30 seconds of the power play, the tension thick in the arena.
-
Ian Casselberry
Connor Hellebuyck has been outstanding thus far in goal for the U.S. Connor McDavid broke free up the ice, taking a pass from Mitch Marner and had a scoring chance.
However, Brock Faber tied McDavid up, preventing him from getting a shot on goal despite closing right in on Hellebuyck. (Canadian fans might say Faber slashed McDavid and should’ve been called for a penalty.)
-
Ian Casselberry
Devon Toews made a risky pass from behind the Canada net, which was picked off by Brock Nelson in front of the goal. Jordan Binnington stopped the shot, bailing Toews out.
A USA goal there would have been dispiriting for Canada, which has kept most of the action in the U.S. defensive zone early in the second period.
-
Ian Casselberry
The second period is underway and USA goalie Connor Hellebuyck just stopped a shot by Connor McDavid, who got free on the right side with a pass from Nathan MacKinnon.
-
Ian Casselberry
Ask USA’s Dylan Larkin about how hard-hitting this game has been. Canada’s Tom Wilson laid him out with a hit behind the U.S. net early in the first period.
-
Ian Casselberry
The U.S. and Canada each have eight shots on goal as the first period ends. At one point, Canada had a 7-2 advantage, so Team USA really increased the pressure late in the period, helped by a power play opportunity.
-
Ian Casselberry
Canada successfully killed the penalty and almost got a scoring chance after Shea Theodore left the penalty box.
Drew Doughty picked off a pass and fired up the ice to Theodore, who couldn’t get control of the puck near the USA goal. That wouldn’t have been a short-handed goal, but it was close.
-
Jay Busbee
Here’s what we observed from inside the arena in Milan (in the very top row, but hey, inside is inside):
-US is in no way intimidated or overwhelmed by the moment. Met the initial Canadian surge of energy and didn’t flinch.
-The Boldy goal shook the Canada crowd. They never regained their mojo all period.
-The hits here are LOUD. They echo, and every hit is accompanied by a bloodthirsty OHHHHHH from the crowd.
-During timeouts, the Olympics mascot is handing out boxes of pasta. I have seen Olympic medalists celebrating less than fans here who scored some free pasta.
-Late in the first, the arena DJ started playing Rush, which ought to be ruled an unfair advantage for Canada.
-
Ian Casselberry
A hooking penalty on Canada’s Shea Theodore gives the U.S. its first power play with three minutes remaining in the first period.
-
Ian Casselberry
Nick Suzuki had an excellent scoring chance in front of the net for Canada after Brady Tkachuk inadvertently passed to him in the slot while trying to clear the puck from the boards.
Connor Hellebuyck stopped the point-blank shot, however. Tkachuk is surely thankful.
-
Jay Busbee
In case this becomes relevant later:
Your refs.
-
Ian Casselberry
Team USA’s Matt Boldy split two Canadian defensemen Devon Toews and Cale Makar on a breakaway, giving himself space by pushing the puck ahead.
Boldy got free after Auston Matthews stole a pass and hit him with an outlet and put Team USA on the board first with a slick backhand score.
-
Jay Busbee
Matt Boldy just knifed right through the Canada defense for that goal, and “Free Bird” never sounded so good to the heavily outnumbered American fans here.
-
Ian Casselberry
Canada’s Bo Horvat and USA’s Brock Nelson tussle in front of the U.S. net after Horvat got an early scoring chance.
Fighting gets an automatic ejection in Olympic play, but that might not stop a couple of guys from scraping in this game.
-
Jay Busbee
MILAN — Throughout these Olympics, the Milano/Cortina crowds have cheered American athletes. Not so here, as the Canadian crowd torched Team USA with an onslaught of boos as the Americans took the ice.
And it gets chippy 2:01 into the game! This is going to be good.
-
Jeff Eisenberg
The presence of Connor Hellebuyck gives the U.S. a clear edge at goaltender. The ferociously competitive three-time Vezina Trophy winner is always calm, never flustered. He often makes the difficult look routine with his long 6-foot-4 frame, savvy anticipation and knack for positioning himself perfectly.
This has been a rough, injury-plagued season for Hellebuyck at the NHL level, but the Winnipeg Jets netminder has performed up to his reputation in Milan. His goals against average and save percentage both lead the Olympics — and they would be even higher if he didn’t, in his words, get “a little bored” during the third period against Slovakia on Friday and surrender a goal that he doesn’t believe he should have.
Asked where his confidence level is after Friday’s game, Hellebuyck said that it’s at an “all-time high.”
“I’m really enjoying this,” the typically stoic, serious Hellebuyck continued. “This is fun.”
