Olympic hockey: Brady Tkachuk says there is a hatred in the USA-Canada rivalry
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Team USA star forward Brady Tkachuk said there is hatred between the Americans and Team Canada ahead of the highly anticipated gold medal match on Sunday.
Tkachuk, 26, said that for many players on the team, the Olympic match against Canada will be the biggest match of their careers.
Tkachuk “There is hate there” he told ESPN. “I mean, they were at the top. They were the best the last couple of years, and we want to be in that position, to be the best. So I think this will be a game where a lot of players will be able to say, ‘This is the greatest game they’ve ever played.'”
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Brady Tkachuk of the United States takes the ice before his semifinal match against Slovakia during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 20, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (James Lang/Imagn Images)
Team USA defeated Team Canada in a round-robin match of the 4-Nations tournament, which featured three fights in the first nine seconds, but failed to defeat Canada in the final.
The USA lost to Canada in overtime after Edmonton Oilers’ superstar Connor McDavid scored a goal that dashed the Americans’ hopes. Tkachuk said the loss stung him and stuck with him.
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Brady Tkachuk of the United States scores a goal during the men’s ice hockey semifinal match against Slovakia at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on February 20, 2026. (Pool Photo via Julien De Rosa/AP)
“I mean, we were one shot away last year, and sometimes you have to go through that adversity, that sadness, those hard times, for the good times to feel even better,” Tkachuk said. “The few days, the few weeks, the months after that game were definitely tough. And I know I don’t want to feel that way again.”
The United States women’s hockey team defeated Canada 2-1 in a thrilling overtime victory and the men are looking to do the same. The U.S. men haven’t won a gold medal since the 1980 Olympic Games. But there were no NHL players at the 2018 or 2022 Games.
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Lineman Scott Cherrey (50) tries to separate Erik Cernak (81) of Slovakia and Brady Tkachuk (7) of the United States during the third period of the 2026 Winter Olympics men’s ice hockey semifinal match in Milan, Italy, on February 20, 2026. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)
One of the key differences between the 4-Nation tournament and the Olympics is that fighting is prohibited in the Games. But the game will definitely be physical.
The gold medal match begins at 8:10 a.m. ET.
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