Olympic gold medal match picks, predictions, how to watch

The gold medal game between Team USA and Canada will be the final event of the 2026 Winter Olympics. It may be the most anticipated hockey game since legendary victory in 1980 by the United States through the Soviet Union in Lake Placid.

There’s a good chance the USA vs. Canada matchup will have all the makings of an all-time great sporting event. Both teams were undefeated in Olympic hockey competition to this point, and the two nations have been at odds since last year’s 4-nation face-off. In that tournament, the United States managed to defeat Canada in a first-round game at the Bell Center in Montreal, but Canada got revenge when they won the championship game in overtime at the TD Garden in Boston by a goal Connor McDavid.

There is incredible skill on both sides with Canada featuring McDavid, Nathan MacKinnonCale Makar and Macklin Celebrities and Americans featuring Quinn Hughes, Jack Hughes, Jack Eichel and Dylan Larkin. However, there is more than enough bitterness between the two teams to make this a tough, physical affair that will turn this into a battle of attrition.

This is a battle for hockey supremacy between Canada and the United States. Canada has always been considered the top hockey nation because it is their national sport, while the United States has been catching up for years and is looking to take the crown.

How to watch Team Canada vs. Team USA: The two teams will meet on Sunday morning at 8:10 ET and can be seen live on NBC and the Peacock. This early morning start coincides with 14:10 local time in Milan, Italy.

Prediction: Defense rules the day, but USA must open the scoring

Die-hard hockey fans will surely get up early to watch the game, and they will certainly be joined by fans of the Olympic Games and the most elite level of athletic competition.

They’re unlikely to see an open game where superstars from both teams trade great scoring opportunities as they fly up and down the ice. Instead, every faceoff, pass and shot will be contested and players will likely go after their opponents with a fervor and intensity that surpasses almost any regular season NHL game.

The USA will try to keep McDavid, McKinnon and Celebrini in check, while the Canadians will try to do the same to the Hughes brothers, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk and Jack Eichel.

Scoring the first goal in this game could be vital even though both Canada and the United States have recorded come-from-behind victories during the Olympic hockey tournament. These two teams are so close in talent and desire that the first goal can result in the pressure being lifted from the team that gets on the scoreboard first as it shifts to the team that has to fight from behind.

Canada may have a little more firepower, so it’s vital that the US get on the scoreboard first. Look for the Hughes brothers to be involved in the opening goal as Jack Hughes sets up Quinn Hughes for the opening goal.

Prediction: McDavid’s explosive speed gets the best of the USA defense

Team Canada carries the nation’s hopes of retaining its unofficial title as the best hockey nation in the world.

All the players on the team will feel the pressure, but no one will have the feeling that he carries the nation on his shoulders like McDavid. He is widely regarded as the best player in the world and has shown his ability throughout the tournament.

There is no player who is more explosive than McDavid and managed to score the winning goal a year ago in the 4 Nations. He might not score the golden goal in this game, but he would score a crucial goal against Team USA goaltender Connor Hellebuick in the 3rd period to tie the score and lift Team Canada’s spirits.

McDavid is unstoppable when he has the puck on his stick in his zone and spins at full speed. Tough and physical quarterback Charlie McAvoy and the rest of the defense will do everything they can to slow McDavid down, but he will break through for at least one big play in this game.

Prediction: Team USA will wear down Canada

Team USA members aren’t intimidated by Canada’s history or talent level. The confidence level of the Tkachuk brothers has carried over into the locker room, and the belief is that they can beat Team Canada at their own game. This will play out in physical battles for puck possession that will be played along the boards and in the corners.

The United States will not back down and will win more than 50 percent of those physical battles. Canadian team Tom Wilson and Brad Marchand will do everything they can to help their team get ahead, but Tkachuk, Eichel, Larkin and McAvoy will not give up

Pick: Team USA defeats rival in overtime

Team USA and Canada met for the gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Sidney Crosby (undisclosed injury, may play in gold medal game) took a pass from Jarome Iginla in overtime and beat USA goalie Ryan Miller with a quick shot from an extreme angle to give Canada the gold medal.

It’s 16 years later and it’s likely another overtime between these two rivals. This time, Team USA will celebrate with a goal in overtime. Eichel would score the game winner with a vicious wrist shot that beat goalkeeper Jordan Binnington into the top corner.

The Americans will win the gold medal, followed by the Star Spangled Banner. Heartbroken Canadians will begin the countdown to the 2030 Winter Olympics when they will have a chance at revenge.