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Everyone got the game they wanted in the men’s hockey Olympic gold medal game.
Sunday, the 46th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice”, will pit the United States against Canada, in what is undoubtedly the fiercest international rivalry in any sport, for any ball.
Unfortunately for the Americans, Canada has owned this rivalry since day one.
This will be the eighth time the United States and Canada have played for Olympic gold, and the only time the Americans have won was in 1960. They have also competed for gold in 1920, 1924, 1932, 1952, 2002 and 2010. In the best-versus-best format, the United States is 5-15-1, and three of those victories have come took place during the 1996 Hockey World Cup.
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Brandon Hagel of Canada, left, fights with Matthew Tkachuk of the United States during the first period of a 4 Nations hockey game in Montreal, Saturday, February 15, 2025. (Graham Hughes//The Canadian Press via AP)
The first ever meeting between the two countries in a “best versus best” format dates back to the 1976 Canada Cup, which Team Canada won 4-2. The Americans did not achieve their first victory against their northern neighbors until 20 years later, having lost seven of their first eight meetings and tied in the other.
The United States won the World Cup that year, winning the best-of-three series against Canada, but since then it’s mostly been Canadian dominance again.
Canada is 7-2 against the Americans since 1998, and four of those victories have been a real gut punch for the United States. Canada won the gold medal at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City against the Americans, but more famously, Sidney Crosby’s golden goal eight years later also came at the expense of the American team in front of a Vancouver crowd. Four years later, Canada beat the United States again in the Olympic semifinals and last year won the 4-nation showdown with an overtime victory over the Stars and Stripes.
Matt Boldy of Team USA and Sidney Crosby of Team Canada shake hands after the 4 Nations Championship match between Team Canada and Team USA at TD Garden on February 20, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Chase Agnello-Dean/4NFO/Hockey World Cup via Getty Images)
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The United States’ only victories during the aforementioned period came in the group matches of the 2010 Olympics and last year’s 4 Nations Tournament. So it’s been a while since Americans really had bragging rights. Overall, Canada leads the best-versus-best series, 15-5-1.
These two teams already know each other very well, as both teams are largely made up of the same members as last year’s 4 Nations showdown, where three fights took place in the first nine seconds of the country’s first best-versus-best match in nine years.
Tensions between the two teams and fans were at their height during this tournament, fresh off President Donald Trump.It is Comments and customs tariffs from the “51st State” against the country.
Sidney Crosby (87) of Canada is checked by Charlie McAvoy (25) of the United States as Vincent Trocheck (16) looks on during the first period of the 4 Nations hockey showdown in Montreal on Saturday, February 15, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
But this is the real big stage, with revenge, bragging rights and Olympic gold on the line.
The gold medal game is Sunday at 8:10 a.m. ET.
