Olympic Winter Games close with ceremony in Verona showcasing Italian arts and odes to athletes

02/22/26 17:00

Achille Lauro gives dramatic closing performance

– Globe Staff

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Beloved hometown musician Achille Lauro, appearing in a dramatic cape, sang to the Verona crowd with gusto, fulfilling Italy’s plan to showcase its own talent as much as possible on the global stage.

02/22/26 16:53

An electronic finish (and vibe shift) from Major Lazer

– Globe Staff

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Just when it seemed things were wrapping up, American DJ and dance music group Major Lazer showed up on stage singing-slash-performing their hit Lean On, and started a whole new dance party.

It was a previously announced performance, and the group had been making the best of it since the beginning of the ceremony, posting from the stands:

The athletes, a crowd who perhaps was not as familiar with the opera performed earlier, seemed to enjoy the invigorated vibe, dancing from their seats as the artists continued with their electronic hits and a light show.

02/22/26 16:41

Final moments of Winter Games look back on Italy’s approach

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The Canadian Olympic Committee said approximately 90 of Canada’s 207 athletes in the Games marched in the closing ceremony, with speed skater Valérie Maltais and short-track speed skater Steven Dubois carrying the Canadian flag into the stadium.

The Games spanned an area of 22,000 square kilometres, from ice sports in Milan to biathlon in Anterselva on the Austrian border, snowboarding and men’s downhill in Valtellina on the Swiss border, cross-country skiing in the Fiemme Valley,, and women’s downhill, curling and sliding sports in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

It’s a model that will remain for future Games, to avoid the expense of building new facilities. The 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps will stage events in the Alps and in Nice, on the Mediterranean Sea, while speed skating will be held abroad in a venue yet to be decided.

The closing ceremony will conclude with the Olympic flames being extinguished at the unprecedented two cauldrons in Milan and Cortina, to be viewed via video link. A light show will substitute fireworks, which are not allowed in Verona, to protect animals from being disturbed.

– The Associated Press

02/22/26 16:30

Grazie, Italy!

– J. Kelly Nestruck

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Arrivederci, Italia. Salut la France!

While it was fun to be reminded of the Eurodance group Eiffel 65 and its 1998 earworm Blue (Da Ba Dee) earlier this afternoon, I appreciated how the closing ceremony circled back to Italy’s earlier, operatic musical tradition as the country prepared to pass the Olympic torch to the French Alps, the location for the next Winter Games.

The orchestral performance of the humming chorus from Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly for the moment of remembrance honouring athletes no longer with us was gorgeous – as was the extraordinarily colourful costume in which Madama Butterfly paraded around.

The following water-themed sequence featuring Italian singer-songwriter Joan Thiele singing the 1965 Italian hit Il Mondo while playing electric guitar, and the star ballet dancer Roberto Bolle performing what the announcers on NBC said was his very first aerial routine, was also quite striking.

The opening ceremony was silly at times; this was a more serious and, at times, moving farewell.

Grazie, Italy!

02/22/26 16:10

Olympic flag handover ceremony marks next Games

– Globe staff

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At the closing ceremony, the Olympic flag has been lowered and will be handed to Kirsty Coventry, the president of International Olympic Committee. She was perhaps best known during these Games for the tearful interview she gave about Ukrainian athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych and the decision against letting him race with a helmet depicting fallen athletes.

The next Winter Games will take place in the French Alps in 2030.

02/22/26 15:38

CBC’s ads getting under people’s skin (again)

– J. Kelly Nestruck

I’m afraid the ads on CBC became intrusive again, and social media users are letting them have it.

I’ll have to spend the rest of my life wondering who the English-language announcer was introducing when he said “Ladies and gentlemen, let’s welcome…” – and then CBC cut to a full-screen ad for a cruise company.

I was enjoying the dance sequence with moving mirrors and a mash-up of club and classical genres – but then the music cut out and the sequence shrunk down to make way for ads.

Even though I could still watch the choreography if I squinted, the dancers were now performing to Jay Baruchel giving a speech in a locker room.

On Bluesky, @dykeayt.bsky.social posts: “i see the cbc didn’t learn anything about running too many commercials during the ceremonies. i want to watch the weird dancing!!”

On X, @sealeyjohn posts: “@CBC I am trying to watch the commercials but the Olympics closing ceremony keeps interrupting me!!!!!”

Oh, our philistine public-private broadcaster. (I’m writing this during a block of ads that has totally taken over the screen.)

02/22/26 15:33

Acrobatics after a week of extraordinary athletics

– Globe staff

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This artistic portion of the closing ceremony sees performers demonstrating varying feats with their bodies, meant to represent what the athletes have achieved throughout the Games.

From trampolines to ballet to aerialists, it’s a Cirque du Soleil-like presentation of grace and dance.

02/22/26 15:10

The world’s athletes begin to enter (some in puffer shorts)

– J. Kelly Nestruck

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CBC ran ads instead of a Faces of Italy segment of the closing ceremony, featuring photos of everyday Italians. But the commercial breaks have, early on, been much less intrusive than they were during the opening ceremony.

The flagbearers then came into the arena in Verona: Speed skaters Valérie Maltais and Steven Dubois are carrying the flag for Canada, wearing dark green Lululemon puffy jackets that read “CAN” on the back.

My favourite of the national outfits so far are those sported by Brazil – where puffer jackets were matched with very innovative puffer shorts. The Canadians’ green outfits definitely have a military vibe to them.

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I didn’t mind that some of this section was on my screen side-by-side with ads – hosts Andi Petrillo, Anastasia Bucsis and Kurt Browning haven’t been saying much of substance here.

Now come the rest of the athletes to a musical performance from what looks like a wedding cover band.

02/22/26 15:05

Long-distance commentating by CBC

– Simon Houpt

A reminder that, when CBC’s Andi Petrillo, Anastasia Bucsis and Kurt Browning talk about what a lovely evening it is in Verona for this closing ceremony, they’re not actually there. The commentating for all of the sports during these Games – except for hockey – was done remotely out of CBC’s headquarters in Toronto, a practice that began with the 2020 (postponed to 2021) and 2022 Games because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has endured because of budget restraints.

02/22/26 14:51

Emotional opera for a joyous occasion

– J. Kelly Nestruck

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Though the closing ceremony is taking place at an arena in fair Verona, where Shakespeare lay the scene for Romeo and Juliet, I hope you brushed up on your Italian opera before the closing ceremony.

The first scene featured an Avengers-style assemblage of well-known operatic characters – with Violetta singing Giuseppe Verdi’s Libiamo ne’ lieti calici (“Let’s drink from the joyful cups”) from La traviata, before tragic jester Rigoletto led Madama Butterfly and Aida out of the arena.

02/22/26 14:50

Italy’s Olympic medalists first athletes to enter

– Globe Staff

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The first athletes into the arena are the medalists from Italy. The country came in fourth overall with 30 medals, including 10 golds, six silvers and 14 bronzes.

02/22/26 14:41

An ode to opera kicks off closing ceremony

– Globe Staff

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The Verona Arena, where the ceremony is being held, is often used for opera, so it’s fitting that the festivities begin with a performance dedicated to the Italian art, complete with sumptuous costumes and powerful vocals.

02/22/26 14:25

The final medal tally

– Globe Staff

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The official medal count is in, and Canada earned 21 medals over the course of the Milan Cortina Winter Games: five golds, seven silvers and nine bronzes. That puts the country in 11th place overall.

Thanks to its 18 golds, Norway came in first with 41 medals total, the U.S. in second with 33 medals total, including 12 golds, and the Netherlands in third with 20, half of which were golds.

Canada’s best ever gold medal performance at the Winter Olympics was in 2010 in Vancouver, with 14 golds, while the most medals the country has brought home for the Winter Games was in 2018 in Pyeongchang, with 29 medals.

02/22/26 14:15

Getting ready for closing ceremony

– J. Kelly Nestruck

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Hello, I’m Kelly Nestruck and I write about television. I’ve got CBC Gem fired up this afternoon to watch the Winter Games closing ceremony, which I hope the national public broadcaster will show us more of than the opening ceremony.

I’m bummed about the hockey game this morning (and on Thursday), but I’ll take a silver over Kash Patel any day. (A picture of the FBI director visiting the American players in the locker room after the game is all over social media.)

My favourite Canadian moment of the Games was Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier emerging from ice dance unscathed by controversy – and with a bronze that felt like a gold.

02/22/26 13:56

Opinion: That wasn’t the game, nor the Games, Canada wanted

- Cathal Kelly

A lot of nice things happened for Canada at the Olympics in Milan Cortina. After watching the U.S.A. celebrate a second hockey gold at these Games on Sunday afternoon, it’s hard to remember any of them.

The one good thing you can say about the 2-1 stick in the heart was that it won’t become a referendum on the quality of Canadian hockey. It was a choppy game, lacking the rhythm of the quarter- and semi-finals, but Canada was the better team for most of it. On the day, they just weren’t the better finishers.

That kind of sums up the entire Canadian Olympic effort. There were surprise golds (short-track speed skater Steven Dubois) and new stars (freestyler Megan Oldham), but for each of those, someone else in red and white wasn’t having the Games they’d hoped.

Read the full column here.

02/22/26 13:48

U.S. hockey team honours late teammate Johnny Gaudreau

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Johnny Gaudreau’s No. 13 jersey was hanging in the U.S. locker room throughout the Olympics, and Dylan Larkin and Matthew Tkachuk carried it around the ice after the U.S. beat Canada in overtime to win the country’s first gold medal at the Games since 1980.

Then, the tribute to the late player known as “Johnny Hockey” went even further.

The oldest two of Johnny and Meredith Gaudreau’s three children were in attendance, along with their grandparents, Guy and Jane, and they got to be part of the celebration. Larkin and Zach Werenski brought three-year-old Noa and two-year-old Johnny Jr. on the ice for the team photo, which also had Gaudreau’s jersey in it.

“He’s with us here in spirit for the whole tournament,” captain Auston Matthews said. “To have his jersey out there in the team photo and have his kids come out and be with us, we’re obviously thinking of him.”

Johnny and his brother, Matthew, died in August, 2024, when they were struck by an SUV while riding bicycles near their hometown in New Jersey on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding.

Larkin dedicated what is just the third U.S. men’s hockey gold in history to both Gaudreau and former USA Hockey executive Jim Johannson, who died unexpectedly just before the 2018 Olympics.

“All those people should be here,” Larkin said. “Johnny especially; Matty, his brother. To get it done today, it’s just an unbelievable feeling.”

– The Associated Press

02/22/26 13:15

This 89-year-old ‘King of the Volunteers’ will star in the closing ceremony

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When Mario Gargiulo, then 20, travelled to the 1956 Cortina Winter Games, his first trip to northern Italy from his hometown of Naples, he never imagined he’d return to the Olympics.

But he has, 70 years later, this time as the “King of the Volunteers.” He was among the first of 18,000 volunteers to sign up, and on Sunday in Verona, the 89-year-old will take the stage of the closing ceremony with a starring role: the Games’ oldest volunteer.

“To be part of it is incredible,” he told The Associated Press on Sunday morning, hours before the ceremony at the ancient Roman arena that’s a short walk from his home.

When Gargiulo turned up for the first meeting of volunteers in Verona, he stood out.

“They were all 20, 25 years old, girls and boys, and they were looking at me sort of strange,” he said, laughing.

The village known as the “Queen of the Dolomites” today is a luxury resort replete with high-end boutiques, in part because of the spotlight brought by the 1956 Olympics.

He enjoyed his first visit to the area so much that, after he married an American woman, they honeymooned there.

“My pace, my tempo, has slowed down a bit,” he said. “But my heartbeat is still the same.”

– The Associated Press

02/22/26 13:01

Trump and the White House react to U.S. men’s hockey win

The men’s and women’s Olympic hockey games were played against the backdrop of political tensions between the U.S. and Canada, with President Donald Trump having repeatedly threatened to make Canada the 51st state through “economic force.”

Trump congratulated the U.S. men’s team on social media, moments after the final buzzer: “Congratulations to our great U.S.A. Ice Hockey team. THEY WON THE GOLD. WOW!”

On X, the White House posted an image of an American bald eagle stepping on the neck of a Canadian goose, in a repost of former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s Feb. 20, 2025 tweet that read: “You can’t take our country – and you can’t take our game.”

02/22/26 12:39

Sidney Crosby watched gold-medal final from trainers’ room

– Grant Robertson

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Sidney Crosby watched the men’s gold-medal hockey final from the trainers’ room and said the thought crossed his mind that this could be his last shot at an Olympic gold medal.

Crosby said he’s not certain if it is, but at 38, with a grey tinge to his hair now, Sid the Kid acknowledged such opportunities aren’t infinite.

Crosby said the 2-1 loss to the U.S. in overtime Sunday was tough to take. Not only for him, but because he wanted it for all of Team Canada, particularly Connor McDavid. Crosby was injured in Canada’s quarter-final game against Czechia and missed the semi-final against Finland.

Crosby said the decision to not play on Sunday came down to his concern that he wouldn’t be able to help the team.

“All you can ask for is the opportunity to try to get back out there,” a solemn Crosby said after the game. “So, yeah, it was tough to have to make that decision, but it’s the way it is.”

“Obviously in your head, you always want to be out there and you want to find every way possible,” he said. “Watching the way we played today, the guys played incredible.”

Nathan MacKinnon, one of Crosby’s closest friends who, like Crosby, grew up in Cole Harbour, N.S., said the Canadian captain’s decision to sit out was selfless.

“I didn’t know until this morning, and I wasn’t going to ask,” MacKinnon said.

“It was tough for him to not play. He could have just said he wanted to play, just for himself. But he put the team and country first like he always does.”

02/22/26 12:20

After winning Olympic halfpipe gold, Eileen Gu learns of her grandmother’s death

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On a sunny Sunday at the Olympics where Eileen Gu defended her title on the halfpipe, maybe the best prize of all was knowing her grandma would be proud. That’s why her tears flowed freely.

Not long after the victory gave her a record-breaking third Olympic gold medal in freeskiing, Gu learned her grandmother, Guozhen Feng, had died.

“She was a steam ship,” Gu said. “This woman commanded life, and she grabbed it by the reins, and she made it into what she wanted it to be.”

It’s the way Gu, the 22-year-old – born in the U.S. but competing for her mother’s homeland of China – likes to approach skiing, school, life and everything she touches. She is now 6 for 6 — six events, six medals, three of them gold, three silver — over two Olympic Games.

“She inspired me so much,” Gu said. “The last time I saw her before I came to the Olympics, she was very sick, so I knew that this was a possibility.”

At her post-victory news conference, Gu handled all the questions head-on. “I had to compete six times. I kind of liken it to a marathon, with the pace of a 100-metre dash.”

– The Associated Press

02/22/26 12:08

Hundreds protest in Verona ahead of closing ceremony

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Hundreds of people marched through the streets of Verona a few hours before the Winter Olympics closing ceremony to protest against housing costs and environmental concerns linked to the Games.

The “Olympics? No thanks” rally was organized by university groups and associations that oppose hosting an event they say disrupts forests, pours concrete onto fragile land and deepens social inequality.

“We are here to defend our territory from speculation ... and from the impossible cost of attending events,” said Giannina Dal Bosco, a 76-year-old activist, noting that tickets for a seat at the closing ceremony cost about 400 euros ($644).

One banner read: “Fewer games for the few, more homes for everyone.”

Francesca, 34, who travelled from Vicenza, about 60 kilometres away, said the landscape had been “disfigured” by new Olympic structures.

“They built concrete monstrosities like the bobsleigh track, which will serve no purpose,” she said. “Public money has been wasted that could have been used for hydrogeological safety and housing plans.”

Protesters planned to march for around two hours outside the security perimeter, from the 16th-century Porta Palio to the 19th-century Arsenal square. A much larger demonstration – drawing nearly 10,000 people — took place in Milan on the first day of the Games and later turned violent.

- Reuters

02/22/26 12:01

What to know about the Winter Olympics closing ceremony

- Globe Staff

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The 2026 Winter Olympics closing ceremony is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET.

A city forever associated with Romeo and Juliet, Verona will host the final act of the Milan Cortina Winter Games inside the historic Verona Olympic Arena, where some 1,500 athletes will celebrate their feats against a backdrop of Italian music and dance.

Acclaimed ballet dancer Roberto Bolle has been rehearsing for the closing ceremony inside the arena this week under a veil of secrecy, along with some 350 volunteers, for a spectacle titled “Beauty in Motion,” which frames beauty as inherently dynamic.

Other headlining Italian artists include singer Achille Lauro and DJ Gabry Ponte.

02/22/26 11:34

Fans quickly leave Scotiabank, Ottawa watch parties in dejection

– Samantha Edwards and Kristy Kirkup

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Seconds after the U.S. scored in overtime, clinching the gold medal, streams of dejected fans filed out of Scotiabank Arena. The few stragglers who remained to watch the medal ceremony were still shaking their heads, trying to make sense of what just happened. There was soft applause for the Canadian players as they received their silver medals.

“I feel a little hurt. It’s unfortunate they ended up deciding this gold medal game on a 3-on-3 game. I don’t consider that real hockey,” said Tom Daly, who watched with his wife Kristina Ellis.

They’re usually Maple Leafs fans, so “it was kind of cool to be able to boo Auston Matthews,” Daly said with a laugh.

What are their plans for after the game? Maybe taking a nap. “I wish we were going out to celebrate,” Ellis said.

Nine-year-old James Rankin, who was wearing his Connor McDavid Oilers jersey underneath a Team Canada jersey, was feeling sad. “We should’ve won the game because we were all over them,” he said.

“I’m bummed out,” said his father, Steve Rankin. “I have no words.”

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At Ottawa’s Craft Beer Market, fans were cheering “Let’s go Canada” as overtime got under way.

But the room soon fell silent after forward Jack Huges secured the winning goal for the American team less than two minutes in.

As American players hugged one another on the ice, many Canadian fans at the Ottawa restaurant held their heads in their hands. Some spectators in jerseys started to file out of the restaurant quickly. Others sat at the bar and at their tables in disbelief.

02/22/26 11:20

It hurts to lose a game we should have won

– Gary Mason

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Well, that stinks. I hate three-on-three for the Olympics but I suppose I wouldn’t have minded it had we won.

It hurts to lose a game we should have won, and quite handily. I’ve seen these games too many times in my long, sports-watching career. They’re always heartbreaking, especially if your team is on the losing end.

The U.S. goalie played out of his mind. Well done. Our goalie played well, too. Not the fault of goalies, just the rub of the game. Congrats to both sides.

This will be the last time we see Team Canada stalwarts such as Drew Doughty. In four years, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon will still be leading the team, Macklin Celebrini will be that much better. Cale Makar will be in his prime. We’ll have another great team, and should be fighting for gold again.

02/22/26 11:18

U.S. shocks Canada 2-1 for men’s hockey gold

– Grant Robertson

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There are moments from iconic Canadian hockey games that will forever live in the minds of the country. Sidney Crosby’s golden goal in 2010. Gretzky to Lemieux in ’87. Paul Henderson humanizing Vladislav Tretiak in ’72.

Those are the beautiful ones. Not all can be that way.

Some plays exist only to haunt Canadians.

The United States knocked off Canada in the final at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics Sunday, winning 2-1 in overtime, giving the Americans their first gold medal since 1980.

Just over a minute into overtime, U.S. forward Jack Hughes took a pass in front of Canada’s net and fired the puck past Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington, crushing the hopes of Canadian NHLers like Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, who came to Milan in search of their first gold medal.

That goal will be difficult to forget. But when the game is remembered by Canadians, there will be others, like a second-period breakaway from McDavid or a missed net by MacKinnon, that will forever torment them.

Read the full story here.

02/22/26 10:56

Game over

– Jamie Ross

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Jack Hughes has won the gold medal for the United States. He beat Jordan Binnington with a low wrister less than two minutes into overtime to seal the game. That gives the United States a sweep in the Olympic hockey tournament.

The U.S. women’s team beat Canada in overtime as well.

02/22/26 10:50

Canada dominating but game is still nerve-wracking to watch

– Gary Mason

The sun is now up in Vancouver! And I have moved on to hot chocolate with (maybe) some Baileys. Hey, come on. Need something to calm the nerves.

This game has not played out the way I expected it to. Canada has truly dominated play and the final should, by rights, be over. How often is Nathan MacKinnon going to miss a wide-open net the way he did? What a time to do it.

I was in the arena in Vancouver in 2010 when Sidney Crosby scored the Golden Goal – called by the same play-by-play commentator, Chris Cuthbert. Maybe his most celebrated call. Can’t think he goes back to Golden Goal if we’re able to win this one.

I’m nervous about games in which one team has so dominated play. I’ve watched too many games like this when the other team ends up winning. But I’m going with Canada wins and Macklin Celebrini scores the winner.

02/22/26 10:41

What are the overtime rules in the Olympic hockey final?

– Globe staff

The International Ice Hockey Federation recently amended the rules for the Milan Cortina Winter Games, bringing them closer in line with NHL rules.

There are no shootouts in the gold-medal game. Instead, teams play a 20-minute three-on-three overtime period, with 15-minute intermissions as needed, as in the Stanley Cup playoffs. It is sudden death until someone scores a goal.

02/22/26 10:34

Going to overtime

– Jamie Ross

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We have overtime. Canada has dominated this game, but U.S. goalie Connor Hellebuyck has stood tall and shut the door at every turn. Shots are 41-26 in favour of Canada. Overtime is 3-on-3, sudden death.

02/22/26 10:31

Scotiabank Arena watch party has a unifying vibe

– Samantha Edwards

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The vibes have been restored at the Scotiabank Arena. Fans are on their feet, holding Canadian flags, doing the wave.

The energy rivals a live NHL game. “It’s actually even better,” said Victor Peter while drinking a beer during the second-intermission break. He noted that Maple Leafs games can feel overly corporate. Instead, everyone here is cheering for the same team, so there’s a sense of national pride and unity.

Well, almost everyone is rooting for Canada. Nerissa Pelkonen is sporting an Auston Matthews USA jersey, which elicited a rumble of boos while she drank a beer on the concourse. She’s here with her husband, Dean Pelkonen, who is wearing a Mitch Marner jersey.

They’re both Maple Leafs fans, but Dean tried and failed to convert her into a Canada fan. They say there’s one silver lining to this rivalry: one of their teams will be going home with gold.

02/22/26 10:26

Double minor leaves Canada short-handed

- Jamie Ross

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A four-minute double minor against Sam Bennett means Canada will play a majority of the remainder of the game short-handed. Bennett collided with U.S. defenceman Quinn Hughes behind the American net and clipped him with his stick, cutting Hughes in the process. Because rules dictate that a high-stick that draws blood is a double-minor, Canada will be shorthanded for 4 minutes instead of 2.

02/22/26 10:23

U.S. seemed to have too many men on the ice

- Jamie Ross

Looks like the referees missed what looked like a fairly blatant too many men on the ice penalty call against the United States. I don’t have the benefit of video replay from my vantage point, but it looked like the U.S. touched the puck when they had as many as seven players standing on the ice with about eight minutes left on the clock.

02/22/26 10:16

Fans reinvigorated by tying goal

- Kristy Kirkup

Fans in Ottawa jumped to their feet and cheered loudly while some issued enthusiastic profanities when Canadian player Cale Makar brought the game to a 1-1 tie near the end of the second period. Makar, a Calgary native, is making his debut at the Olympics.

The chant “Ole, Ole, Ole” rang out at a watch party at the Craft Beer Market in Ottawa after Makar sunk a goal in the American net. Some jumped up and down.

Before the goal, the room felt tense and quiet because the Canadian team had not been able to get themselves on the scoreboard. The mood has now shifted considerably and many are feeling much more spirited.

02/22/26 10:12

Hellebuyck making incredible saves

- Jamie Ross

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American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck continued to stand on his head early in the third period. After making an impossible save on Devon Toews to keep the puck out of an otherwise-empty net to preserve a tie game, he stoned Macklin Celebrini on a breakaway a shift later. He’s the MVP of this game so far.

02/22/26 10:11

Olympians, past and present, in the stands for the game

- Globe staff

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Among the fans watching the game live in Milan are former Olympic figure skater Tessa Virtue, gold-medal hammer thrower Ethan Katzberg and women’s hockey forward Sarah Nurse, who all posted to their social media accounts.

Wayne Gretzky is there as well, after clarifying which team he’s cheering for during the Canada-Finland semi-final game: “I want Canada to win a gold medal. I’ve never wavered from that.”

Interestingly, actor Noah Schnapp, who played Will in Stranger Things, was also seen in the stands wearing a Canada jersey (he’s American).

02/22/26 10:02

Anxiety is high going into the third period

- Gary Mason

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As we get set for the third and possibly final period I can say the nerves are alive.

Before the game, my hope was U.S. President Donald Trump would show up, be booed heavily and then leave in a huff when Canada wins. I will take that result without Trump being present. But I don’t want to imagine what a Trump Truth Social post might look like if the U.S. wins.

So there is a lot at stake here, boys. Let’s go!

02/22/26 09:49

Canada heads into third period 1-1

– Jamie Ross

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Canada managed to break through late in the second, scoring on their 26th shot on Connor Hellebuyck. Superstar defenceman Cale Makar was the scorer. It followed what had been a one-sided period for Canada, which widened its shot advantage to 27-16.

Connor McDavid, the best player in the world, had a breakaway against Hellebuyck, and did nothing with it. Canada also squandered a 93-second two-man advantage but managed to take a 1-1 game into the final frame.

02/22/26 09:48

If Charles Barkley thinks U.S. will win, it’s almost guaranteed they’ll lose

– Chris O’Leary

NBA Hall of Famer, avid hockey fan and notoriously bad gambler Charles Barkley has me hopeful for a Canadian win today. Last night, Barkley issued his almost always incorrect guarantee of a U.S. win today. In the sports world, it’s basically a kiss of death to its recipient. As I write this, Canada has tied the game. Thanks, Chuckster.

02/22/26 09:42

Canada ties it up 1-1

– Jamie Ross

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Canada is on the board. Cale Makar beat Connor Hellebuyck with a low wrist to the block side with 1:40 left in the period to tie the game 1-1.

02/22/26 09:37

Fans stress eating (and drinking) at Ottawa bar

– Kristy Kirkup

At the outset of the second period, hockey fans at the Craft Beer Market in Ottawa began to cheer “Let’s go Canada!” on repeat. But they started shrieking as the Americans made shots on Canada’s goaltender Jordan Binnington.

Fans took to their feet and cheered loudly when U.S. player Jake Guentzel ended up in the penalty box. They did so again when Team USA defenceman Charlie McAvoy ended up in the penalty box too, putting five players on the ice for Canada versus three for the U.S.

But as Canada struggled to get the puck in the American net during the power play, many fans put their hands on their heads. Some are now leaning back in their chairs, visibly upset. Many continue to chow down on breakfast.

The stress in the room is palpable here in the nation’s capital while Canada remains scoreless. The beer continues to flow.

02/22/26 09:27

A wasted power play opportunity

– Jamie Ross

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Canada wasted their 1:33 worth of a 5-on-3 power play. They won’t likely see another one of those in this gold-medal game. Huge missed opportunity.

If they can’t turn things around, that series of play will tell a big part of the story.

02/22/26 09:22

Canadians can’t get past Hellebuyck

– Jamie Ross

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Canada started the second period and controlled play for most of the first six minutes, but couldn’t solve Connor Hellebuyck. Shift after shift the Canadians applied pressure but still could not score.

At the 10-minute mark, Connor McDavid was in all alone but he made one too many moves on a forehand deke and Hellebuyck shut the door.

With Canada already on the power play, defenceman Cale Makar drew a holding penalty against American defenceman Charlie McAvoy to give Canada a two-man advantage.

02/22/26 09:10

Nathan MacKinnon, Devon Toews almost equal in ice time after first period

– Grant Robertson

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Nathan MacKinnon led all Canadian forwards with 7:49 in ice time in the first period, only a second behind defenceman Devon Toews, who saw the most with 7:50. American defenceman Quinn Hughes is leading the game after one period with 8:08 in ice time.

How both teams deploy their lines in the second and third periods will be something to watch. Coach Jon Cooper likes to juggle Canada’s lines to shake up a game, so it could get interesting.

02/22/26 09:08

A shaky defence for Canada can still turn it around

– Gary Mason

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Okay, the coffee is starting to kick in and everyone is feeling a bit more alive here at the Globe watch party in Tsawwassen, B.C. – also known as my place, with my wife and I – and we’re not feeling too badly about the start of this game despite the 1-0 score in favour of the U.S.

One concern I have is our defence, which looks shaky and has coughed the puck up on several occasions against the least bit of pressure by the American forwards. They need to be more resolute and less panicky.

As this game goes on, the absence of such a veteran, steadying force as Sidney Crosby could become a big factor. Just having him on the bench is worth a lot in a big-pressure game like this one. Not having him there means a lot.

On the other hand, winning without him will also mean a lot. It will be the official passing of the torch to players such as Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon.

Canada fought off a penalty against them and should expect they’ll get the man advantage at some point, maybe in this second period. Here’s hoping.

02/22/26 09:04

Friends and families from across GTA travelled to Scotiabank for watch party

– Samantha Edwards

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Friends Andre Zorjav, Ari Dhalia, Andrew Thatton, Matthew Thatton and Cooper LaPlante, all 16, took an Uber from Milton early this morning to watch the game on the big screen at Scotiabank Arena. They were determined to get tickets when Canada made it to the gold-medal game.

Thatton, wearing a Sidney Crosby jersey, was bummed that the captain wouldn’t be playing in today’s game because of an injury. “We heard the news on the way down,” he said.

“I’m still feeling confident – and nervous,” said LaPlante.

The Lozons family from Wallaceburg, Ont., had already planned a multigenerational trip to Toronto for the weekend with grandparents, children and grandchildren, including 10 kids under 10. Watching the men’s final at Scotiabank Arena is the cherry on top.

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02/22/26 09:01

Fans still boisterous at Scotiabank Arena after end of tense first period

– Samantha Edwards

At the Scotiabank Arena, the lower bowl is a sea of red, white and black, with a smattering of Crosby and Maple Leafs jerseys. “Let’s go Canada” chants erupt simultaneously, and even louder cheers every time Canada lands a big hit against an American.

Down 1-0 at the end of the first period, the energy inside is tense but still feeling boisterous.

Surprisingly – or maybe not because it’s still early – the beer lines have been short.

02/22/26 08:53

First period over with U.S. leading 1-0

– Jamie Ross

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The ice was titled in the United States’ favour for the first two minutes, but it was quickly rebalanced and play went back and forth until Boldy’s goal.

Canada pressed for an equalizer several times, with the line of Macklin Celebrini, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon leading the way.

USA added some extra pressure on a late power play, but the game remained 1-0 after one period. American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck turned aside all eight Canadian shots he faced.

02/22/26 08:51

Canada-U.S. is always a tight game, none more so than the 2014 semi-finals

– Grant Robertson

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High-stakes Canada-U.S games are usually close ones. Vancouver 2010 needed overtime and Sidney Crosby’s golden goal. Last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off was also won in overtime, with Connor McDavid scoring that historic marker. But the game I think about a lot is the semi-final at 2014 Sochi where Canada beat the U.S. 1-0 in a game that could have gone either way on a bounce. That was probably the most perfect hockey game I’ve personally ever seen live. It felt like neither team made a mistake. The lone goal came in the second period when defenceman Jay Bouwmeester, on a set play, intentionally put a point shot wide where Jamie Benn deflected it past U.S. goalie Jonathan Quick.

Canada beat Sweden 3-0 in the gold medal game and because of that Sochi seemed like an easier tournament for Canada than Vancouver. But that’s only if you forget how close the semi-final against the U.S. actually was. Without that one play being executed perfectly, there may have been no beating Quick and history may be different.

02/22/26 08:45

Ottawa fans show up early to cheer on Canada

– Kristy Kirkup

Enthusiastic hockey fans in Ottawa have gathered again at the Craft Beer Market for a watch party. General manager Jordan Kruz said some people lined up to enter at 5:30 a.m.

Earlier this week, Craft hosted a similar event for the Olympic women’s hockey final that ended in heartbreak, with the Canadians losing 2-1 to the U.S. in overtime.

Spectators here today, many of them sporting red and some with painted faces, have packed into the restaurant to watch the men’s game and eat breakfast including eggs, sausage and fruit.

At the beginning of the game, fans cheered loudly in the room. It has grown quieter now with the score at 1-0 for the Americans.

Beer is also being served this morning after Ontario Premier Doug Ford approved alcohol sales beginning at 6 a.m. because of the men’s hockey final.

02/22/26 08:42

First penalty call, against Canada

– Jamie Ross

Canada takes the first penalty of the game. Shea Theodore was called for hooking against American forward Brock Nelson with a little less than three minutes to play in the first period.

02/22/26 08:37

NHL-style play on an Olympic-sized rink

– Grant Robertson

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With high-stakes and NHL rosters, it should be no surprise this looks a lot like an NHL playoff game. Both teams are playing three guys back at times, stacking two defencemen and a forward along the blueline.

No one’s taking any chances with a smaller neutral zone in Milan, which is three feet shorter than an NHL rink because of different international dimensions that the International Ice Hockey Federation chose to use for these Olympics.

02/22/26 08:31

American Matt Boldy making a name for himself

– Gary Mason

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Not the ideal start. American Matt Boldy – not a household name in Canada at least – skates through the Team Canada defence and beats goalie Jordan Binnington with a deke we’d love to see our goalie make the save on.

Hey, we’re behind. And it’s early. So, no time to panic. Rather, time to order another beer for many. I’ll hold off for now. It’s barely 5:30 a.m. But the Baileys shots could start soon if the States get many more in this period.

02/22/26 08:26

The Scotiabank watch party is rolling

– Samantha Edwards

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Hi, I’m Samantha Edwards, reporting live from the Scotiabank Arena where they’re broadcasting the game on the big screen. Beer, caesars, bacon-wrapped hot dogs and breakfast sandwiches are on the menu this early Sunday morning. Every time the Americans are shown on screen, a steady boo erupts across the arena.

02/22/26 08:25

The extra intensity behind this Canada-U.S. hockey game

– Gary Mason

Hi, it’s columnist Gary Mason in Vancouver and I’m watching the gold-medal hockey game along with most of the country, I suspect. It’s just after 5 a.m. on the West Coast but when I looked outside I already saw a number of lights on in living rooms around the neighbourhood.

After the battle that was the 4 Nations Face-Off, and the thrilling overtime finish that ended in our favour, I can’t wait for this game because I suspect it will be pretty much the same. A war to the bitter end. Although I don’t think there will be the same fisticuffs to start the contest, I think it will be chippy.

You can’t consider this game without regarding the political context. It’s hanging over the matchup. So is the loathsome shadow of Donald Trump.

Let’s face it, this game means a bit more. We want this win more than others, although any time these two teams face off it’s intense.

I have watched most of these players taking to the ice since they (or at least many of them) were in the World Juniors. It seemed inevitable they would battle each other again at this greater stage. Here we go. Can’t wait.

02/22/26 08:21

U.S. scores

– Jamie Ross

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The United States open the scoring six minutes into the game when Matt Boldy chipped the puck past the Canadian defender Devon Toews and collected it himself, before tucking a backhand underneath Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington.

1-0 United States.

02/22/26 08:18

How these teams line up against each other

– Grant Robertson

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To break down this matchup in the simplest terms possible: Canada has some of the best forwards the game has ever seen in Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, though the latter appears to be nursing an injury to his leg.

The U.S. has the best blueline in the tournament with a defence corps that would be the envy of any country. Canadian Cale Makar can match Quinn Hughes for skill and offence, but the U.S. has possibly the best shutdown defender in the NHL in Jaccob Slavin.

When Slavin is doing his job, he isn’t noticeable the way superstars are, but when you see a blocked shot or a play dissolve in the offensive zone, he’s usually the reason.

02/22/26 08:09

Despite the doubts, Binnington seems built for big games

– Grant Robertson

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There are few goaltenders like Jordan Binnington. He knew coming into last year’s 4 Nations tournament that everyone doubted him. Then, under that kind of pressure, he simply went out and made several key saves to win the tournament.

Once again, he’s been hearing the doubts in Milan, and he’s been the game-saver several times.

During post-game interviews, Binnington doesn’t blink. It’s uncanny. He just looks you in the eye and acts like nothing fazes him. But it’s fitting. On the ice, he hasn’t blinked either.

02/22/26 08:06

Canadians flood the stands to cheer for Team Canada

– Robyn Doolittle

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This is basically a home game for Team Canada. The stands are one giant wall of red and white. Before the game I was wandering around the arena chatting with Canadians who made the trip. A huge number seem to be from the Maritimes.

Lorraine Williston and Pam Williams are both from Halifax. “We bought tickets a year ago. It’s a dream come true,” Williams said.

“It’s Italy. It’s hockey,” Williston said.

“And three Nova Scotia boys on the team,” Williams said.

Colin Harrison from Halifax has been to the quarterfinals, semifinals and now the finals. He gets here two hours early every game to hang his good luck banner.

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Jack Karpinski from Winnipeg came with two of his friends. The 24-year-old logged onto the ticket site on Dec. 1 and snagged a solo seat for face value. “I am incredibly excited. This is the best.”

Tina and David Li flew here from Vancouver.

“It’s a bucket list for David and it’s a big birthday this year – 60 – so we thought we’d splurge,” Tina said.

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02/22/26 08:04

Don’t expect a fight, but don’t be surprised if there is one

– Grant Robertson

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The first meeting between these two teams at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, a preliminary-round game that the U.S. won, famously involved three fights in the first nine seconds.

We probably can’t expect that kind of chaos at the Olympics, where the penalties for fisticuffs are ejections and suspensions. But it’s not impossible that these rules are weaponized by the teams. A player might be goaded into a fight to take them out of the game.

The interplay between Canada’s Tom Wilson and either of the Tkachuk brothers will be interesting to watch. It’s going to be nasty, and how close they come to the line without going over will be interesting.

02/22/26 08:02

The U.S. has improved on their 4 Nations roster

– Grant Robertson

It may seem like these two rosters are similar to last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, with a lot of the same names including Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, but there are significant differences in the lineup that will have a major impact on this game.

Canadian captain Sidney Crosby won’t play after being injured in the quarterfinal versus the Czechs. And one massive difference that has received far less attention is how different the U.S. blueline looks.

The Americans didn’t have Quinn Hughes or Charlie McAvoy for the 4 Nations final. To put it simply: The U.S. comes into this gold-medal game adding two of the NHL’s best defencemen to their roster that they didn’t have last year when Canada won. That can’t be overstated.

02/22/26 07:57

Sweden beat Switzerland to win women’s gold in curling

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Sweden won the gold medal in the women’s curling competition at the Winter Olympics with a 6-5 victory over Switzerland at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium on Sunday.

On Saturday, Canada beat the United States 10-7 to win bronze.

– Reuters

02/22/26 07:46

How Canada and the U.S. match up historically

– Jamie Ross

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This is the marquee match at these Winter Games. Fans have been waiting for this rematch between the world’s two best hockey powers since the 4 Nations Face-Off a year ago, when Canada topped the U.S. in overtime in the final.

While a big win for Canada, the closeness of that contest and a loss earlier in the tournament suggested that the United States had fully closed the gap on the once-dominant Canadians.

Historically in Olympic and international play, Canada holds a large win margin over the Americans in men’s hockey (53-3-11) in 68 games dating back to 1920. Canada defeated the U.S. in the final of the 2010 Winter Games thanks to Sidney Crosby’s Golden Goal and knocked the United States off in the 2014 Games in Sochi in the semifinal. That was the last time NHL players appeared at the Winter Olympics until Milan Cortina.

02/22/26 07:31

Seats snagged in a frozen arena

– Cathal Kelly

About 90 minutes before the start of the Canada-USA final, the mood in Milan’s Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena is, “Why does it have to be so cold?”

It is a general rule of modern hockey arenas that as they fill up, they get warmer. Not this one. As soon as they let anybody in the door, they turn the air conditioning up to 11. Maybe it’s for the ice. Maybe they think it improves the ambience. The longer the game goes on, the more frigid this place gets.

In what I presume was their hurry to complete the building, they pointed the ducting in the rafters straight down. Up top, it’s like sitting in a fridge wearing an industrial fan as a hat.

As a result, there is a scramble in the media tribune to get here early enough to avoid the seats that are directly underneath blowing cold air.

Team Canada may yet take this game, but by lining up to get in before security had even opened, Team Globe and Mail has already won.

02/22/26 07:21

Sidney Crosby out of gold-medal game against United States

– Jamie Ross

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Sidney Crosby, Team Canada’s captain, will not play in the gold-medal game against the United States. Connor McDavid will serve as captain in the final.

Crosby’s health has been the topic of speculation at the Olympic hockey tournament since he took a hit from defenceman Radko Gudas and folded over backward during Canada’s quarterfinal against Czechia. Crosby was favouring his right leg as he went to the bench, then left the game and did not return. The two-time Olympic champion missed the semifinal against Finland.

02/22/26 07:06

Germany’s Johannes Lochner wins gold in four-man bobsleigh

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Germany’s Johannes Lochner collected his second bobsleigh gold of the Milan Cortina Olympic Games in the four-man event on Sunday, completing a hugely dominant week for the sliding superpower.

Double-defending champion Francesco Friedrich of Germany took silver, with Michael Vogt snatching bronze for Switzerland on the final run.

– Reuters

02/22/26 07:03

Sweden’s Ebba Andersson wins gold in women’s 50km mass start

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Sweden’s Ebba Andersson surged away from opponents for a commanding win in the women’s cross-country 50-kilometre mass start ski race on Sunday, winning the first gold medal in the event in its Olympic debut and taking her first victory of these Games.

It was redemption for Andersson, who suffered a series of disastrous falls in the relay that cost her team a gold medal. She also has three second-place finishes at the Milan Cortina Games, one earned after an impressive comeback during the relay, and individual silvers in the skiathlon and 10-kilometre freestyle event.

In Sunday’s race, Heidi Weng of Norway won silver, finishing two minutes and 15 seconds behind Andersson but more than four-and-a-half minutes ahead of Switzerland’s Nadja Kaelin who took bronze.

– Reuters

02/22/26 06:34

Sweden vs. Switzerland women’s gold-medal curling game underway

- Globe staff

The women’s curling gold-medal game between Sweden and Switzerland is underway.

Team Canada defeated the American team 10-7 on Saturday to win the bronze medal.

It’s a big moment for Rachel Homan, who is largely considered the world’s best female curler. Yet until now, she was missing an Olympic medal after falling short at the Games in 2018 and 2022.

Team Homan must wait to receive its medals until after today’s gold-medal game.

02/22/26 06:22

Eileen Gu wins gold in the women’s halfpipe

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Eileen Gu defended her Olympic ski halfpipe title on Sunday to make it six medals in six events over her Winter Games career.

The 22-year-old Gu, American-born but competing for her mother’s homeland of China, is already the most decorated freeskier in the short history of the sport at the Olympics. She also captured two silver medals at the Milan Cortina Games, to pair with two golds and a silver from the Beijing Games.

Gu won the event on the strength of her second run, a clean, technically sound pass. She got even better in her final run — pumping his ski poles after landing the final trick — and finished with a score of 94.75. Her teammate, Li Fanghui, took silver and Zoe Atkin of Britain was third.

Canada’s Amy Fraser just missed the podium and came in fourth. Rachael Karker of Erin, Ont., placed seventh after a fall on her last of three runs.

The event was rescheduled to Sunday following a big snowstorm the night before.

– The Associated Press

02/22/26 06:11

Canada opens bars early for men’s gold-medal showdown

It will be beers before breakfast in Canada on Sunday when some bars will open their taps hours earlier than usual as the nation rallies behind its men’s ice hockey team in the gold-medal showdown against the United States at the Winter Olympics.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has allowed eligible licensed establishments to begin selling alcohol at 6 a.m. ET, just over two hours before the puck drops at Milan’s Santagiulia arena for the hotly anticipated match between two teams.

“The entire country will be watching on Sunday morning as our men’s hockey team plays for Olympic gold,” Ford wrote on X while announcing the decision for early-morning alcohol sales. “Let’s all come together, support local businesses and cheer on Team Canada!”

In British Columbia, Premier David Eby has also given the green light for bars there to open their taps starting at 5:00 a.m. PT to bleary-eyed hockey fans ahead of traditional breakfast hours.

– Reuters

02/22/26 06:03

Canadians deserve ‘properly funded’ sports system, COC CEO Shoemaker says

– Jamie Ross

David Shoemaker is once again asking the federal government to better fund the amateur sports movement in Canada.

Shoemaker, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee, said on Sunday that the COC has asked for an additional $144-million on behalf of national sports organizations, which currently receive about $220-million, to fund the growth of high-performance and grassroots sports in Canada.

“Canadians deserve a sports system that is properly funded,” Shoemaker said. “National sports organizations are stretched unbearably thin. They are forced to make impossible choices. They have to choose between athletes competing here and now in Italy, and the next generation.”

Being an Olympian is not a lucrative pursuit. Bronze-medal-winning speed skater Laurent Dubreuil, for example, said this week he is paying his own way to the world championships in the Netherlands next month.

“Promising athletes are leaving high-performance sport because they can’t afford the costs,” said COC chief sport officer Eric Myles.

02/22/26 05:57

Winter Games to end with closing ceremony in ancient Verona Arena

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Italy will bring down the curtain on two weeks of scintillating Olympic sporting action on Sunday with a closing ceremony in the ancient Verona Arena amphitheatre.

The show, scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. local time), is entitled “Beauty in Action” and will feature leading Italian ballet dancer Roberto Bolle and celebrate Italian art as well as sporting achievement.

With the Olympic medals won and lost, the tone is expected to be more relaxed and free-wheeling than the opening ceremony.

Italian singer Achille Lauro and DJ/producer Gabry Ponte will be there to get the party going while Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will be among the crowd.

The ceremony is being held in an open-air Roman amphitheatre renowned for staging opera and pop concerts in the heart of the northern Italian city made famous as the setting for William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet.

Tickets were priced from 950 euros ($1,530) to a top level of 2,900 euros ($4,675). The weather has been kind, with no rain forecast. The Games, co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, have been hailed a success by new International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, and the mood has been lifted by a record medal haul for the Italians.

However, protesters opposed to staging the Games are expected to demonstrate close to the Arena on Sunday.

– Reuters

02/22/26 05:43

Snow clears and Eileen Gu goes for another Olympic medal

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A day later than she expected, Eileen Gu tries to make it six medals in six Olympic events Sunday when she drops into the halfpipe for the women’s final.

The last event at the Livigno Snow Park had been scheduled for Saturday night under the lights, but a big snowstorm blew in hours before the contest was supposed to start, and organizers pushed the final to the last day of the Olympics.

The biggest threat to Gu is Zoe Atkin, an American-born skier who competes for her father’s homeland of Britain. Atkin finished ninth at the Beijing Games but has been a steady presence on World Cup podiums ever since. She has three victories over the last four years, all in events where Gu didn’t compete.

Canadians Rachael Karker and Amy Fraser will also fight for podium finishes. But Cassie Sharpe, but the 2018 Olympic champion from Comox, B.C., was forced to withdraw after suffering a concussion on a nasty fall during qualifying Thursday.

– The Associated Press

02/22/26 05:15

Canada names Maltais and Dubois as flag-bearers for closing ceremonies

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Speed skater Valérie Maltais and short track speed skater Steven Dubois have been named Canada’s flag-bearers for the closing ceremonies of the 2026 Olympic Games.

Dubois won a gold medal in the men’s 500 metres and was also part of the mixed relay team that earned silver.

Maltais helped Canada repeat as Olympic champions in women’s team pursuit with Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann. Maltais also earned bronze medals in the 3,000 and 1,500 metres.

The 35-year-old Maltais competed in her fifth and final Olympic Games. She owns a career five medals, including a short track relay medal from 2014 before switching to long track.

The 28-year-old Dubois has also collected five Olympic medals in his career, including gold, silver and bronze in 2022 when he helped the men’s relay team to victory.

– The Canadian Press

02/22/26 05:15

All eyes on men’s hockey final between Canada, U.S. on Games’ last day

Day 16 of the Milan Cortina Games is also its last, and all eyes will be on the gold-medal grudge match between Canada and the United States for men’s hockey supremacy.

The Canadians and the Americans will rekindle their heated rivalry, most recently played out in last year’s 4 Nation Face-Off tournament where Canada emerged victorious. Canada has beaten the U.S. for Olympic gold in 2002 and 2010 with NHL players, and the Americans have not won gold at the Games since Lake Placid in 1980.

Canada may be without the services of captain and Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby, while Winnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey is confirmed to be out with an upper-body injury. The Americans beat Slovakia 6-2 to reach the finals while Canada squeaked by Finland 3-2. Neither team has lost a game at the Olympic tournament heading into the final.

- The Canadian Press

02/22/26 05:00

What time is the Canada vs. U.S. men’s hockey gold-medal game?

- Globe Staff

Team Canada is playing their fiercest rivals for men’s hockey gold at 8:10 a.m. ET today, making it a very early start for hockey fans in North America, particularly on the West Coast.

02/22/26 05:00

Canadian players know the importance of a Canada-U.S. rematch for gold

- Grant Robertson

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High-stakes hockey between Canada and the United States can be a bit chaotic. Just ask Brandon Hagel.

During the now-famous first nine seconds of Canada’s initial meeting with the U.S. at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, where three fights broke out before any actual hockey was played, it was Hagel who found himself in the eye of the storm.

When U.S. forward Matthew Tkachuk, playing the heel, dictated he wanted the game in Montreal to start with a punch-up, Hagel knew there was no choice but to oblige – for the country.

“I’m sure he had a plan in his head, but I didn’t,” Hagel said in an interview before the Olympics, recounting the melee. “But I did what I had to do.”

Hagel’s bout – which his Tampa Bay Lightning teammate Anthony Cirelli proudly points out “he won” – was followed by two other scraps before the game was even 10 seconds old.

“It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before,” said Hagel, a power forward who doesn’t consider himself to be a fighter.

He doesn’t expect a repeat of those nine seconds on Sunday, as Canada prepares to face the United States in the gold-medal final at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

International hockey has harsher penalties for fisticuffs than the NHL, with ejections and suspensions. But when these two countries meet on the ice, there’s a decent chance something memorable will happen.

There will be fireworks. It’s just uncertain what kind.

Read the full story.

02/22/26 05:00

Today’s Olympic schedule and event start times

- Globe Staff

It’s the last day of the Winter Games and a big one for Canada as the men’s hockey team faces off with their arch rivals the United States for gold.

The final day will also see two Canadians fight for podium finishes in the women’s freeski halfpipe, which was postponed a day due to bad conditions at Livigno Snow Park. Rachael Karker and Amy Fraser will both compete in the event, but veteran and 2022 silver medallist Cassie Sharpe will not participate after suffering a concussion on a nasty fall during qualifying.

There is also Canadian content in the men’s four-man bobsled finals, where Taylor Austin will pilot one of two Canadian squads in the final day of the competition.

Finally, the Games will take its curtain call by holding its closing ceremony, set to be held at the Verona Olympic Arena, an ancient Roman amphitheatre and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Here are the events to watch for, and you can find the full schedule here.

• 4 a.m. ET - Bobsleigh four-man third run

Medal events:

• 4 a.m. ET - Cross-country skiing women’s 50km classic style
• 5:05 a.m. ET - Women’s curling gold-medal game (Sweden vs. Switzerland)
• 6:15 a.m. ET - Bobsleigh four-man fourth run
• 8:10 a.m. ET - Men’s hockey gold-medal game (Canada vs. United States)

02/22/26 05:00

Where to watch the Olympics in Canada

- Globe staff

CBC is Canada’s official Olympic broadcaster. The 2026 Winter Games are be available to watch on CBC through your TV provider, or to stream for free on the CBC Gem app or at CBCGem.ca.

You can also follow The Globe and Mail’s live coverage of all the latest news and analysis of the Games, on our website or mobile app.

02/20/26 05:00

Your guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics

- Globe staff

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The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are nearing their end and have made history in more ways than one, as Team Canada and the world’s best athletes continue to compete in northern Italy.

From hockey to figure skating and the debut of ski mountaineering, the competition has been nothing short of thrilling. But at the most geographically widespread edition of the Winter Games ever, international tensions – particularly toward the United States – is also be on full display.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Games.