6-2 Win Over Slovakia Sends US to Final Against Canada

The much-anticipated but never guaranteed US-Canada showdown for gold in men's hockey at the Olympics is on. Jack Hughes scored two goals, including one with a highlight-reel individual effort, and the Americans rolled into the final by routing Slovakia 6-2 in the semifinals on Friday night, the AP reports. They'll meet tournament favorite and top-seeded Canada on Sunday for the title, a year after the North American rivals played two memorable games against each other at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Canada did its part earlier Friday by rallying to beat Finland, 3-2, with Nathan MacKinnon scored with 35.2 seconds left, per the AP.

The US had no trouble against the Slovaks, who made an improbable run and were overmatched. They'll face the Finns for bronze on Saturday night, looking for just the second hockey medal in the country's history after getting the first with a third-place finish in Beijing in 2022. For the US, the semifinals were a much easier go than the quarterfinals against Sweden, when overtime was needed to survive a scare. Dylan Larkin, Tage Thompson, Hughes, and Jack Eichel scored the four goals on 23 shots that chased Samuel Hlavaj out of Slovakia's net past the midway point of the second period.

Thompson, one of just a handful of newcomers who did not play at the 4 Nations, exited later in the second after blocking a shot. He was held out the rest of the way, according to the NBC broadcast. Hughes got his second just after a power play expired, and Brady Tkachuk scored on a breakaway with just over nine minutes left to provide more breathing room. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck did his job as his teammates outshot Slovakia by a substantial margin. Everything he has done at the Olympics has validated coach Mike Sullivan's decision to go with Hellebuyck as the US starter over Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman. The US last reached the final in 2010 when it lost to Canada in overtime on Sidney Crosby's goal. Crosby's status is uncertain this time after being injured in the quarterfinals Wednesday and not playing Friday against Finland.