The Americans played Slovakia in a semifinal game on Friday for a chance to play for the gold.
MILAN, Italy — Team USA is heading to the finals for a chance to win gold at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
After beating Team Slovakia, the Americans are heading to the championship game to take on Canada for a chance at the gold medal.
The United States dominated Slovakia on Friday by the score of 6-2.
Friday’s semifinal matchup between the United States and Slovakia started with the United States peppering the Slovakian goalie with shots. Team USA spent several minutes in the offensive zone before Slovakia cleared the puck.
Just over four minutes in, Team USA’s Dylan Larkin came flying off the bench into the offensive zone and shot the puck past Slovakia’s goalie’s arm, giving the U.S. an early 1-0 lead.
After the United States scored, things seemed to ratchet up. Just a minute after the goal, USA’s Brady Tkachuck found himself in the midst of a scrum in front of the Slovakian goaltender.
Five minutes later, Team USA’s Charlie McAvoy had a penalty called against him for goaltender interference. The United States fended off the penalty with ease, extending its streak of killing off every penalty called against them in this tournament. Slovakia wasn’t able to muster more than a shot on the man advantage.
Seconds after killing off the goaltender interference penalty, U.S. defenseman Zach Werenski was called for a delay of game penalty. Slovakia held the puck in the offensive zone more during the second power play, but they weren’t able to cash in. That penalty kill meant the U.S. was 12-for-12 in killing off penalties in this tournament.
With 3:30 left in the first period, the United States had a golden opportunity to score. USA’s Jack Hughes got the puck to Tage Thompson in the goal crease, but Thompson was not able to get the puck around the Slovakian goalie.
The final three minutes of the period saw both teams with equal possession of the puck, but Slovakia’s Milos Kelemen was called for a tripping penalty with under a minute to go in the period.
The United States needed 16 seconds on the power play before Tage Thompson ripped one past the Slovakian netminder. The goal gave the United States a 2-0 lead heading into the second period.
The United States ended the first period with 11 shots, while the Slovakian team notched eight shots on goal.
The second period started off physically. Thirty seconds into the period, Brady Tkachuk was in front of the goalie when Slovakia’s Martin Fehervary hit him and was called for a roughing penalty, sending the United States to the power play in the first minute of the period.
That power play didn’t last long, as Team USA captain Auston Matthews was called for a hooking penalty 38 seconds into the penalty.
The two teams played 4-on-4 hockey for 1:22. Slovakia had a few scoring chances but was not able to get one past USA’s Connor Hellebuyck. The United States killed off the abbreviated 40-second power play following the 4-on-4 action.
The next few minutes saw Slovakia own most of the zone time, where they notched several shots, all of which were stopped.
With 14:32 left in the second, USA’s Charlie McAvoy was called for high-sticking. Slovakia again didn’t tally any shots on the power play. Through half the game, Slovakia was 0-4 on power play opportunities.
The penalties kept coming in the second period. Three minutes later, Slovakia’s Fehervary was called for a holding penalty near the boards.
The United States had several opportunities to score in the opening moments of the power play, including when captain Auston Matthews hit the post. The United States kept the pressure on the Slovaks but was unable to score on five shots during the power play.
With 8:42 left in the second period, the United States put the puck in the net, but referees waved the goal off, citing “a distinct kicking motion” by the United States’ Jake Guentzel.
One minute later, Jack Hughes from the United States ripped the puck past the goaltender to give the United States a 3-0 lead.
Nineteen seconds later, the United States did it again when Jack Eichel roofed the puck into the net, giving the United States a 4-0 lead.
After the fourth goal, Team Slovakia pulled their goaltender, Samuel Hlavaj and replaced him with Stanislav Skorvanek.
Later in the period, Slovakian Oliver Okuliar was called for cross-checking, sending the United States to their fourth power play. The United States registered a few shots, but it was the Slovaks who had the best scoring chance: a 2-on-1 breakaway that was stopped by Hellebuyck.
Right after the penalty expired, the puck hit the boards behind the Slovakian net, then onto the stick of Jack Hughes, who ripped his second goal right past the Slovakian goalie, extending the United States lead to 5-0.
With 23 seconds left in the period, Slovakian Patrik Koch was called for interference.
At the end of the second period, the United States had 26 shots to Slovakia’s 13 and were up on the scoreboard 5-0.
The United States started the third period on the power play but didn’t make much happen. The Men’s Hockey Broadcast announced that Thompson would not play during the third period due to “precautionary reasons.”
Slovakia got on the board with 15 minutes to go in the game with a goal by Juraj Slafkovsky to put the Slovaks on the board, 5-1.
With nine minutes left in the game, Tkachuk got another breakaway and put the puck past the pad of the Team Slovakia goaltender, which extended Team USA’s lead to 6-1.
With 6:43 left in the third, the United States turned the puck over in its offensive zone. Pavol Regenda buried the shot over the glove of Hellebuyck.
The United States ended the semifinal game on top of the scoreboard 6-2 and on top of the shots on goal counter with 39. Team Slovakia notched 24 shots on goal.
Earlier in the day, Canada beat Finland 3-2 for a chance to play for the gold medal once again. Canada won both the 2014 and 2010 Olympics with NHL players. This year is the first time since 2014 that the NHL has given the green light for hockey players to attend the Olympics.