MILAN – Dylan Larkin admitted just how much this scenario had played in his mind.
He and his USA teammates had just dispatched Slovakia to advance to the final men’s hockey game of the 2026 Winter Olympics, hours after Canada clinched a spot. It’s the 4 Nations Face-Off final sequel but on the largest international stage possible, a chance to prove that the USA is the best of the best.
‘I’ve thought about it so much the last year, since the 4 Nations final,’ Larkin said. ‘I’m not even going to really go into how much I’ve thought about it as a kid, but that was just a dream. Last year after the 4 Nations, it turned into serious thoughts.
‘I think it’s what everyone wanted, is this matchup in the gold medal game.’
Matthew Tkachuk described the matchup as ‘what every American and Canadian grows up watching, grows up hearing about. This is the pinnacle of 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 in Canada, and that should get you pretty fired up.’
USA dispatched Slovakia with precision, turning a 2-0 start into a 6-2 rout that left Slovakian captain Tomas Tatar trying to put it into perspective as his team prepares to play Finland for bronze.
‘I think this was probably our worst game of the tournament,’ he said. ‘You have to admire the quality the team US have for sure, but this wasn’t the game that we play up until now. It kind of hurts, but tomorrow is a new day and we’re very proud to play a bronze medal game.’
For the USA, anything short of playing on Feb. 22 in the final game, would have disappointed. To do it opposite Canada?
‘Yeah, you can’t really script it any better than that,’ Brady Tkachuk said. ‘All we cared about is putting ourselves in that position, didn’t really matter who we were going to play. But now that it’s all set in stone, everything happens for a reason.
‘Just truly grateful to be in this position to achieve a childhood dream.
Canada came out golden when the sides have meet in the Olympic final during the NHL era, winning in 2002 and 2010. Those were deep teams, but this 2026 version is loaded with elite skill, 25 NHLers deep. It’s the first time since 2014 that NHL players have participated in the Olympics. The Americans have made the most of it, staying in the athletes village, two to a room, reveling in the atmosphere.
‘It’s an honor to be here,’ Matthew Tkachuk said. ‘It’s an honor to represent the United States. For us to be in the gold medal game, the chance to do something that very few Americans have been able to do, it’s just hard for me to wrap my head around right now.’
Coach Mike Sullivan spoke in the immediate aftermath of advancing of relishing the opportunity. USA men haven’t won an Olympic gold medal since the ‘Miracle on Ice’ team in 1980. Mike Eruzione, the captain of that team and the man who scored the golden goal, is in Milan. He sent the USA women an inspirational video before their match, showing his gold medal and telling them that’s the color they want.
It’s less about pressure, and more about the incredible privilege the Americans have earned by winning five games since arriving in Milan less than two weeks ago.
‘I think a lot of that is your outlook and perception at the opportunity you have in front of you,’ Sullivan said. ‘It’s an incredible opportunity we have in front of us to represent our nation, to inspire another generation of hockey players in the United States and to be in elite company, the third team to have the opportunity to win a gold medal. I know our guys are really excited about that opportunity. Having said that, that’s all it is. We have to go out and earn it and we’re really excited about that.’
