I know it’s only been a day and change since the win over Finland, but it feels like we’ve been waiting forever for this gold medal game between Canada and the United States. It’s two countries that don’t like each other out there, and a game that we’ll likely be talking about for years and decades to come. I don’t care how early your alarm has to go off on Sunday morning, but there is no way I’m letting any of us sleep through this one. We’ve got Canada vs. USA for Olympic gold, and in terms of best-on-best hockey, there’s no better rivalry in the sport right now. One game left in the winner-takes-all tourney, and I’m pretty damned excited to watch it.

While it was by no means a perfect road to the final, Canada earned its way to the gold medal game through resilience and timely firepower that ruined dreams in Czechia and Finland. Three clean ones in the prelims, two tough ones in the elimination round, including that 3-2 semi-final over Finland that had the whole country pacing around living rooms and bars for the last five minutes. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t comfortable. But they got it done. No matter how the boys got to where they are, Canada locked in five straight wins to give themselves a chance. The Americans? Same story. Undefeated, efficient, and at times dominant, including their 6-2 semi-final win over Slovakia that looked more like a walk in the park than anything super competitive.

Heading into the gold medal game, both teams are 5-0, and both teams handled the schedule that was in front of them. Now the two tournament favourites get face each other, and let’s not pretend this is just another international game. Sunday’s game is the first time since 2010 that Canada and the U.S. are playing with Olympic gold on the line. Not to mention, it’s also a rematch of the last year’s 4 Nations final, which was as spicy as it was entertaining. You couldn’t design a better storyline if you tried. It almost had to be this way. I mean, I think everyone around these parts would have been pumped if we knew ahead of time that we’d get Canada vs. USA in the final. Right? Right.

Of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows for our boys. The Sidney Crosby “will he play, won’t he play?” question has been hanging over the team since the moment he went down against Czechia. Reports out of Milano suggest there’s roughly a 70 percent chance he plays after testing that knee in a closed session, but knowing Sid could be playing at 3/4 speed doesn’t exactly tickle the warm and fuzzies. Jon Cooper already shut down the idea that Crosby would dress just to sit on the bench and look good, so I guess we’ll see what happens by the time we’re all rolling out of bed (or staying up) in the morning. If he’s in, he’s in to take shifts and win battles. If he can’t go, he won’t. The Americans, on the other hand, are healthy, as Tage Thompson was back at practice and looking ready to roll.

So here we are. Connor McDavid has been on another planet through the first five games of this tournament. McDavid’s thirteen points leads Canada, the entire Olympics, and set a new record for most points in a single tournament with NHLers participating. Not only has Connor been dominant, but it looks like he’s willing to carry this team to the gold even if he has to do it himself. He’s driving play, he’s creating chances out of nothing, paired perfectly with Macklin Celebrini, and he looks like a guy who understands exactly what this moment means and what he needs to do to get there. When your best player is also the best player in the tournament, it’s more likely that he makes magic happen than it is that the other side stops him.

Then there’s No. 97’s running mate, Macklin Celebrini, who leads the Olympics with five goals and sits second in scoring with 10 points. The kid has been shot out of a cannon all tournament long, and it’s been remarkable to watch him perform as well as he has on the biggest stage. We know he’s dragging the Sharks toward a playoff spot, but the fact that he looks like he hasn’t missed a step at the Winter Games is truly special. Big moments haven’t fazed him in the slightest. If anything, Celebrini looks like he’s getting more comfortable as the stakes get higher. If these two players can keep their magic going for one more game, then I really like Canada’s chances of pulling through.

But don’t get it twisted. The Americans have firepower everywhere. Quinn Hughes leads U.S. skaters with seven points, which is actually pretty low for a group with this much heat in the lineup. Jack Hughes, Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, and Matthew Tkachuk are all sitting at six points apiece, but it doesn’t take much imagination to picture a scenario where any of those guys becomes a factor. Four different American forwards share the team lead with three goals. Is that as high as Canada? No. Is it more balanced? Arguably so. The point is that there’s no real weak line to target and no pairing you can just coast against. If Canada gets loose in its own zone or sloppy through the neutral ice like they were against Finland, this group has more than enough skill to make them pay.

And if we’re going to compare the skaters, then we have to look at what’s happening between the pipes too. Jordan Binnington sports a sparkling 4-0 record with a 1.74 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. Despite many of our pre-tournament complaints, he’s been steady, composed, and exactly what you need behind a team that wants to push the pace. At the other end, Connor Hellebuyck has been his usual ridiculous self. The reigning NHL MVP carries a 1.23 GAA and a .947 save percentage. To this point, he’s stopped 80 of 85 shots in this tournament. If this turns into a tight, low-event game, both goalies are capable of stealing it, but you’d be hard-pressed to find many people who wouldn’t give Team USA the edge here.

Which brings me to the part that matters most: Canada can’t afford to chase this game. If the Americans go up early and get comfortable, they’re more than capable of squeezing the life out of the game and locking things down. They’re structured, they’re patient, and with a goalie that good, they don’t really need 45 shots to beat you either. If Canada gives them an early cushion, they’ll be trying to come back against a good team and a great goalie who hasn’t given up much of anything all tournament. That makes a quick start all the more important. But if Canada can dictate the pace from Jump Street, if they establish the forecheck, if McDavid and company force the Americans to defend instead of counter, this team has the depth and skill to tilt the ice in a hurry. When Canada is rolling, it doesn’t feel like a one-line attack. It feels like waves. That’s the version that has to show up.

At the end of the day, Sunday morning’s game is exactly what Olympic hockey is supposed to be. Two heavyweights. One game. Gold medal on the line. Canada has done everything required to get here, but none of that matters if they don’t bring their A game for this final matchup of the tournament. Our boys are one win away from gold. One win away from sending the United States home with silver for the second time in a year. One win away from a moment that will live on highlight reels for the next decade. The opportunity is there. The talent is there. The stage is set. Now they just have to take it. Rise and grind, everybody.

Celebrini – McDavid – Wilson
Hagel – MacKinnon – Jarvis
Marner – Suzuki – Stone
Marchand – Horvat – Reinhart
Bennett

Toews – Makar
Theodore – Parayko
Harley – Doughty
Sanheim

Binnington

B. Tkachuk – Eichel – M. Tkachuk
Guentzel – Matthews – Boldy
J. Hughes – Larkin – Thompson
Miller – Nelson – Trocheck

Q. Hughes – McAvoy
Slavin – Faber
Sanderson – Werenski

Hellebuyck

Canada vs. USA goes live at 6:00 a.m. MST from the Milano Santagiulia Arena in Milan, Italy, with pre-game coverage kicking off about 10 minutes before puck drop. You can catch the game on CBC, Sportsnet One, TSN 1, or stream it on CBC Gem, Sportsnet+, or TSN. If you’ve got cable through Bell or Rogers, you’re covered.

Game Day Prediction: In a carbon copy of the 4 Nations final, Canada wins 3-2 in overtime.

Obvious Game Day Prediction: Two-point game for Connor McDavid, including the game winner.

Not-So-Obvious Game Day Prediction: You won’t see the goal from Drew Doughty coming, but when it happens, you’ll remember your ol’ pal Baggedmilk.