The 25th Winter Olympic games will end Sunday with a dramatic showdown between the U.S. and Canada for gold in men’s hockey.
It’s been an elusive prize for Team USA. In the 46 years since 1980’s “Miracle on Ice” upset victory over the Soviet Union, the U.S. men’s hockey team has played for gold just twice — 2002 in Salt Lake City and 2010 in Vancouver.
Both times the U.S. lost to Canada and walked away with silver. This year, our neighbors to the north are favored in Sunday’s game, though Canada might be without captain Sidney Crosby, a game-time decision after being injured during its quarterfinal victory over the Czech Republic.
While Crosby might not play, Philly sports fans will see a familiar face on ice for Canada — Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim, who grew up in tiny Elkhorn, Manitoba (population 500). Flyers coach Rick Tocchet is also serving an assistant coach for Team Canada.
Auston Matthews and Team USA went a perfect 3-0 during the group stage, defeating Denmark, Latvia, and Germany. But it took an overtime win to sneak past Sweden in the quarterfinals before defeating Slovakia in a lopsided 6-2 win in the semifinals.
This is the first Winter Olympics featuring NHL players since 2014 in Sochi, Russia. That year, Canada defeated the U.S. in the semifinals, 1-0, and ultimately won gold.
Later Sunday afternoon, the Olympic flames will be extinguished in Milan and Cortina D’Ampezzo during the closing ceremonies. Ice hockey captain Hilary Knight and figure skater Evan Bates will be Team USA’s flag bearers during the official Closing Ceremony.
NBC will air the Closing Ceremony live beginning at 2:30 p.m. The network will also air an edited version of the event at 9 p.m., with commentary from Terry Gannon, Tara Lipinski, and Johnny Weir for the fourth straight Winter Olympics.
The 2030 Winter Olympics will be held in the French Alps before returning to Salt Lake City, Utah, for the 2034 games.
Sunday’s Olympic TV schedule
As a general rule, our schedules include all live broadcasts on TV, but not tape-delayed broadcasts on cable channels. We’ll let you know what’s on NBC’s broadcasts, whether they’re live or not.
NBC
- 7 a.m.: Women’s curling — Gold medal game, Sweden vs. Switzerland
- 7:15 a.m.: Bobsled — Four-man, final run (tape-delayed)
- 8:10 a.m.: Men’s hockey — Gold medal game, U.S. vs. Canada
- 11 a.m.: Bobsled — Four-man, third and final runs (tape-delayed)
- 11:45 a.m.: Cross-country skiing — Women’s 50 kilometer (tape-delayed)
- 2:30 p.m.: Closing ceremony
- 5 p.m.: Best of Milan Cortina 2026
- 9 p.m.: Closing ceremony (tape-delayed)
USA Network
- 4 a.m. to 6:35 a.m.: Cross-country skiing — Women’s 50 kilometer
- 6:35 a.m. to 7 a.m.: Bobsled — Four-man, final run
- 7 a.m. to 7:45 a.m.: Women’s curling — Gold medal game, Sweden vs. Switzerland
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