USA vs. Canada Olympics hockey gold medal game: Live updates and score

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A hooking penalty on Canada’s Shea Theodore gives the U.S. its first power play with three minutes remaining in the first period.

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.

In case this becomes relevant later:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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