2026 Olympic Games: Puck drops between archrivals Canada and the U.S. in gold-medal men's hockey game

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Team Canada fans take over Milan blues bar

One of the owners of the Blues Canal bar, Frank, just gave a heartfelt speech to the Canadian fans who have filled the place throughout these games. 

"I love you guys. I'm so grateful. Thank you so much from me, from Milan. This day will remain in our hearts forever. Go Canada!" he told the crowd. 

Frank is decked out in Canada sweater, Canada pins and a Montreal Expos hat gifted to him by the fans who have patronized his bar.  

Frank has never been to Canada — and says that before the Olympics, barely knew about hockey. 

Connor McDavid's parents are in the crowd. They had coffee with him yesterday and his mother Kelly says it was the most relaxed she'd seen him since they arrived in Milan. 

McDavid's father Brian said his son was 13 when Sidney Crosby scored the golden goal at the 2010 Vancouver Games and had watched that game with his teammates at the time. 

"Sid was his idol," Brian McDavid said. 

"Here we are today and it's unfortunate Sid's not playing and [Connor] gets to be the captain, but you can't put that into words. It's just been an amazing, amazing experience."

Connor McDavid said yesterday he was just borrowing Crosby's seat as captain. 

"I'd say we're feeling just like everybody else: pins and needles, excited, optimistic, anxious, nervous," his father said. "Let's go Canada!" 

"There was real optimism yesterday that he was going to be able to play," Friedman said.

But the decision came down to Crosby himself, who didn't want to dress as a cheerleader. For him to dress, another player would have to sit.

"Ultimately, Crosby decided that he was not going to be effective enough to take the spot of a healthy other forward, and I think he had a huge amount of influence in making the call not to play today," Friedman said.

"Total bummer but this is why he's the selfless leader. Their key motivation has been this won't be Sid's last game in a Canada uniform."

A win today will give Canadian captain Sidney Crosby and defenceman Drew Doughty three consecutive Olympic gold medals. They won in 2010 and 2014.

Five Canadian players can also join what they call the "Triple Gold Club" with a win today. That's an Olympic gold medal, a world championship, and a Stanley Cup. (Crosby is already a member.)

They are forwards Nathan MacKinnon, Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart and Mark Stone, and goaltender Darcy Kuemper.

The line grows longer out the door at the Blues Canal bar in Milan, where market day has met its match with this epic game between Canada and the U.S. 

You can overhear people speaking Italian, a little bit confused about the crowd, and realizing it's the Canadians here to watch hockey. 

In the spirit of camaraderie, a couple of Canadian fans have brought beer for those waiting at the end of the line. 

The Associated Press

Germany got another gold and silver to cap the bobsleigh competition.

Pilot Johannes Lochner and his crew won gold with 3:37.57, while teammate Francesco Friedrich won silver in the four-man event. 

But Switzerland's Michael Vogt grabbed the bronze, overtaking Adam Ammour on the fourth run to deny Germany a medal sweep.

Lochner won in what he says is his final race before retirement. Friedrich got his sixth Olympic medal: two golds in 2018, two more golds in 2022 and two silvers this year.

Lochner became the seventh pilot to sweep both men's bobsled events in an Olympics.

Canada's Taylor Austin, with Keaton Bruggeling, Mike Evelyn and Shaquille Murray-Lawrence, came in 14th in 3:40.29.

Canadians Jay Dearborn, Luka Stoikos, Yohan Eskrick-Parkinson and Mark Zanette came 20th with 3:41.16. 

Here's how the Americans will line up for today's game:

Forward: 

Brady Tkachuk - Jack Eichel - Matthew Tkachuk

Jake Guentzel - Auston Matthews - Matt Boldy

Jack Hughes - Dylan Larkin - Tage Thompson

J.T. Miller - Brock Nelson - Vincent Trocheck

Clayton Keller

Defence:

Quinn Hughes - Charlie McAvoy

Jaccob Slavin - Brock Faber

Zach Werenski - Jake Sanderson

Noah Hanifin

Goaltender: 

Connor Hellebuyck

Jake Oettinger

I'm Briar Stewart, a correspondent at the Santagiulia Arena in Milan. 

This couple has split allegiances, and say regardless of who wins, one of them will go home happy. Rory Shaw lives in Halifax and his partner Ceilia Cono is an American who also now lives in Nova Scotia. 

She is officially Team USA but has a backup plan — underneath her jersey is a Canadian one so she can wear it if Canada wins the gold.

The lines are in for the gold-medal game. Canada will lead with its loaded first line of Macklin Celebrini, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon.

There's also a hard-to-play-against third line of Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett and Tom Wilson.

No Sidney Crosby, after he was hurt in the quarterfinal win over Czechia. Josh Morrissey is scratched on defence, after he was hurt earlier in the tournament.

Jordan Binnington will start in goal.

Here's the full lineup:

Forward:

Macklin Celebrini - Connor McDavid - Nathan MacKinnon

Mitch Marner - Nick Suzuki - Mark Stone

Brad Marchand - Sam Bennett - Tom Wilson

Brandon Hagel - Bo Horvat - Seth Jarvis

Sam Reinhart

Defence:

Devon Toews - Cale Makar

Thomas Harley - Colton Parayko

Travis Sanheim - Drew Doughty

Shea Theodore

Goaltender:

Jordan Binnington

Logan Thompson

Puck drop coming in less than an hour.

Canadian Jasmine Drolet's had an impressive showing at these Games, gaining some of Canada's best finishes in cross country. She finished the 50-kilometre race within the top 20, in 17th, about 15 minutes behind Andersson. 

The 23-year-old British Columbian managed to overcome Czechia's Sandra Schuetzova in the last kilometres. 

Teammates Sonjaa Schmidt, Katherine Stewart-Jones and Amelia Wells finished 25th, 27th and 28th, respectively. 

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