‘Miracle on Ice’ redux? US men chase first Olympic hockey gold in 46 years against Canada

The US men’s hockey is one victory away from winning their first Olympic gold medal in 46 years. The highly-anticipated triumph follows their famous “Miracle on Ice” win against the Soviet Union back in 1980.

The team will play against Canada after securing their spot in the final after defeating Slovakia 6-2 in the semi-finals on Friday.

If the men's hockey team manages to beat Canada in the finals, the victory will snap a 46-year gold drought for the US.

According to forward Brock Nelson, whose grandfather was on the 1960 gold medal-winning U.S. team, “The rivalry with Canada is obviously a long battle and a long history.”

"(These are) two countries that want to come out on top, have the bragging rights that they're the best country in the world," Nelson said.

What are the stakes?

The upcoming match between the US and Canada for several reasons, as the US team has not yet beaten Canada in an Olympic gold medal game since 1960.

Moreover, this is the first time since 2014 that NHL players have been allowed to compete in the Olympics.

The captain of the Detroit Red Wings, Dylan Larkin also expressed his long-held desire to play for Olympic gold.

“Not even going to go into how much I've thought about it as a kid, but that was just a dream up until the Four Nations, it turned into serious thoughts," Larkin said of last year's tournament won by Canada.

According to Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, winning gold would be a historic moment in American hockey history and it would inspire a new generation of American kids to play hockey just like the “Miracle on Ice” team.

The match will take place on Sunday, February 22, 2026. In the US, you can watch it live on NBC or stream it via Peacock. The game will be broadcast in Canada on CBC, TSN, and Sportsnet.