Here’s how to watch USA-Canada hockey gold medal game for free

It’s been 16 years since the men’s hockey teams from the United States and Canada faced off in an Olympic gold medal game, but it’s barely been a year since Team USA and Canada last met with a title on the line at the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off.

Both teams are facing off in today’s Olympics gold medal match with rosters that are largely unchanged from that pre-Olympics tournament last February. In the end, it was Canada that bested the United States in an instant classic 3-2 overtime thriller to win the first 4 Nations Face-Off.

Now, one year later: the NHL is back at the Olympics and we’re once again being treated to that classic matchup. USA vs. Canada. One of the biggest rivalries in hockey.

With a squad that Miracle on Ice icon Mike Eruzione calls “the best team we’ve ever had,” Team USA has gone undefeated across its five Olympic games so far. Most victories have been by a large margin, too, where Team USA scored 5+ goals. The most recent win in the semifinals was a 6-2 rout of Slovakia.

Canada is also undefeated in Milano, but there is still concern that captain Sidney Crosby, who was injured in the quarterfinals, may not suit up for the game. Crobsy missed the semifinals (Canada won 3-2 over eventual Bronze medalists Finland), but skated on Saturday in a positive sign that he could play in today’s gold medal matchup.

Crosby, famously, scored the overtime winner at the 2010 games, the last time USA and Canada faced off in an Olympic gold medal game.

USA vs. Canada hockey start time

The United States vs. Canada gold medal game is scheduled to start today, Feb. 22, at 8:10 a.m. ET.

How to watch USA vs. Canada gold meal game for free

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to watch USA vs. Canada live.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching TV live for free — its five-day free trial includes NBC (plus every other channel you’ll need for the rest of the Winter Olympics). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month for your choice of streaming plan and gain access to over 90 live channels.

Sling TV is another affordable way to stream the Winter Olympics; its Select plan includes NBC and starts at $19.99/month.

2026 WINTER OLYMPICS

United States and Canada men’s hockey team rosters

Below, check out the rosters for Team USA and Canada, along with each player’s NHL team.

When do the Winter Olympics end?

The 2026 Winter Olympics end later today, Feb. 22, with the closing ceremony scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET.

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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.