Team USA hockey star Jack Hughes might not have been expecting this during the Olympics.

SportsLine's expert Matt Severance reveals his United States vs. Slovakia picks for their Winter Olympics men's hockey semifinal match on Friday

Milan-Cortina 2026 has been one of the most dramatic Winter Olympics in history - in sporting and political terms - so it is appropriate that the final medal event could be the most explosive of all.

The U.S. is seeking its first Olympic gold in men’s hockey since the famed 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team engineered one of the most stunning upsets in sports history. The Americans have played in two gold-medal matches since then, suffering losses to nine-time Olympic champion Canada at the Vancouver Games in 2010 and the Salt Lake City Games in 2002.

A day after the U.S. women's hockey team bested Canada to take the gold, the U.S. men will find out whether they, too, will face Canada in the gold medal match. Canada faces Finland in the semifinal game, and the U.S. plays Slovakia.

Team USA defeated Slovakia, 6-2, in the 2026 Winter Olympic ice hockey semifinal. USA will play Canada in the gold-medal game.

The gold-medal game at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics was the most-watched women’s hockey game on record, according to NBC. The game between the United States and Canada averaged 5.3 million viewers on USA Network and Peacock,

Team USA hockey star Zach Werenski explained that life inside the Olympic Village can get a little awkward — especially when it’s time to eat. Werenski, who plays for the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets,