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Missed opportunities will haunt Canada in Olympic Gold medal loss to U.S.: Recap, Reaction and Highlights
Team Canada United States USA
Photo credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Zach Laing
Feb 22, 2026, 11:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 22, 2026, 11:12 EST
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Maybe it was destiny for this men’s United States team to win the gold medal at the 2026 Olympics.
After all, it was the 46th anniversary, to the day, of the last time the men’s team took home gold, winning the Miracle on Ice against the Soviet Union in Lake Placid.
But that’s not how the Canadian team will feel, however, as multiple missed opportunities cost them a shot at a gold medal.
Let’s look at what happened in the game.
The game opened up with solid pace right off the jump, though the Americans seemed to control the pace for those early minutes. Both teams had a few looks, but the first heart-rate-raising moment came just five minutes into the first, when Canadian forward Tom Wilson laid a punishing hit on American centre Dylan Larkin.
While one would’ve hoped that hit would give Canada some life, Matt Boldy would strike first six minutes in after getting the puck in the neutral zone.
He split Canada’s defencemen, Cale Makar and Devon Toews, before putting the puck on his backhand and slipping it past Jordan Binnington. The goal gave the Americans some more life, but as the period went on, it felt as if the game was turning back in Canada’s favour.
Canada would wind up on the penalty kill late in the first period when Shea Theodore was rung up for a soft hooking call. It took a while for things to even up, though, but when they did, Canada wound up on a five-on-three opportuntity partway through the second period.
The Americans, who had killed off every penalty taken thus far in the tournament, would do just that, as the disjointed Canadian groups couldn’t get their bearings set.
While Binnington should’ve made the stop on Boldy’s aforementioned goal, he bailed out his defenceman Toews in the second, who flubbed an attempted breakout pass that landed on an Americans stick.
Makar would get a great offensive look with three minutes left in the second, walking down from the point and firing a quick shot on Hellebuyck, but all he got for it was a mauling by the Tkachuk brothers.
The game continued to tilt in Canada’s favour, however, who would outshoot the U.S. 18-7 in the second frame. One would count as with just under two minutes left in the second period, Makar didn’t miss twice.
Hecircled the offensive zone, walking donw the right-hand wall once again, firing a perfcet shot over Connor Hellebuyck’s pad, and below his blocker to tie the game at one.
Canada would initiate a scrum of their own as the second period ended, as Canada’s greasy line of Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett and Tom Wilson would start a scrum in front of the U.S. bench to send a message they weren’t backing down.
Early in the third, the U.S. had a few good shifts, before Toews had the chance of a lifetime to score. Parked in front of Hellebuyck, a Canadian shot created a rebound, giving Toews an open net, only for a desperation stick save robbed him.
Not long after, Macklin Celebrini blocked a Charie McAvoy shot, getting sprung for a breakaway. It was the second of the game for Canada, as Connor McDavid had one earlier in the game but bobbled the puck. Celebrini would get a shot away, but Hellebuyck stood strong in the crease.
11 minutes into the third Canada squandered another great opportunity to gain their first lead, as Nathan MacKinnon was all alone on the back door with a wide open net, but his quick release hit the outside of the post.
Sam Bennett put Canada in a bad spot late in the game, taking a four-minute high-sticking penalty. He went in hard on the forecheck against Jack Hughes laying a hit, but as the two players seprated, a sloppy stick from Bennett would knock out teeth.
Canada would kill off three minutes of the penalty successfully before Hughes himself got his stick up on Mitch Marner, negating the final 49 seconds and giving those north of the 49th parallel a minute and 11 seconds of power play time. They couldn’t find a way to capitalize.
Off the opening draw of the three-on-three overtime frame, Connor McDavid stripped Matt Boldy of the puck for Canada to gain possession. Jordan Binnington would make a huge stop on Quinn Hughes, and right down the other way, MacKinnon was stopped by Hellebuyck.
The U.S. went in on the attack just over a minute and a half into the game. Defenceman Zach Werenski would break into the offensive zone driving deep into the right-side of Binnington, beating MacKinnon for body positioning to fire a cross-ice pass to a wide-open Jack Hughes. He would make no mistake, icing the game and securing the Americans a gold medal.
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Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.

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