Unbeaten and Unbothered: USA & Canada Sweep Group Play — Who Can Stop the Dream Final?

Three games. Three wins. Zero panic.

At Milano Cortina 2026, Team USA and Team Canada both handled their business in round-robin play, finishing 3–0 and setting up the exact tournament arc hockey fans always want: two superpowers on opposite sides of the bracket, building toward a potential USA vs. Canada gold-medal showdown.

But the way they got there couldn’t have been more different.

• Canada looked like the sport’s final boss—speed, depth, star power, and blowouts.

• USA looked like a team that can win multiple ways—structure early, resilience in a mid-tournament scare, then a statement closeout.

Here’s the full breakdown of each team’s first three games, the top performers, and what’s next.

TEAM USA: 3–0 in Group C — Growing into the Tournament

Team USA’s group stage was a classic tournament progression: solid opener → survival test → best performance.

Game 1: USA def. Latvia 5–1

The Americans started with control and patience, then pulled away with a strong third period. The official Olympic recap notes the U.S. controlled play and outshot Latvia heavily before sealing it late, with Auston Matthews involved offensively.

Tone-setting takeaway: The U.S. didn’t need chaos. They just needed time.

Game 2: USA def. Denmark 6–3 (comeback win)

This was the wake-up call game.

Denmark made it uncomfortable early, but the U.S. flipped the script with a three-goal second period and leaned on their stars to put it away. The IIHF recap highlights Jack Eichel (goal + assist) and notes Noah Hanifin scored the game-winner.

Tone-setting takeaway: The U.S. can get punched—and punch back harder.

Game 3: USA def. Germany 5–1 (statement closeout)

This was the “okay, we’re serious” game.

Reuters reports Auston Matthews scored twice, with goals also from Zach Werenski, Brock Faber, and Tage Thompson, as the U.S. finished group play by winning Group C and earning a quarterfinal berth.

Tone-setting takeaway: When the U.S. plays a clean game, they look terrifying.

Team USA top performers (through 3 games)

A few names clearly drove the bus:

• Auston Matthews — the finisher and tone-setter (two-goal closer vs Germany).

• Jack Eichel — huge in the Denmark swing game.

• Matthew Tkachuk — piling up playmaking value (and the kind of edge that matters in knockout games).

And for a quick “who’s producing?” snapshot: ESPN’s stat leaders list Matthews among the top tournament scorers with 5 points through three games, and has Matthew Tkachuk also at 5 points (assists-heavy).

TEAM CANADA: 3–0 in Group A — Absolute Machine Mode

Canada didn’t “win games.” Canada made examples.

Game 1: Canada def. Czechia 5–0

The opener looked like a team announcing itself.

NHL.com reports Jordan Binnington made 26 saves, while Connor McDavid had 3 assists in the shutout win. The IIHF recap also notes the star impact immediately—McDavid’s three points, Sidney Crosby with two assists, and a clean start to the tournament.

Tone-setting takeaway: Canada’s “warm-up mode” still looks like domination.

Game 2: Canada def. Switzerland 5–1

Canada followed with another convincing win.

NHL.com notes Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid each had three points, as Canada controlled the game and locked up the group win.

Tone-setting takeaway: When Canada’s top-end talent is clicking, the ice tilts.

Game 3: Canada def. France 10–2

This was the full avalanche.

Reuters describes Canada’s 10–2 rout to secure the top overall seed, with goals coming from everywhere (including two from Macklin Celebrini) and additional tallies from stars like Crosby and McDavid.

Tone-setting takeaway: Canada can win tight games… but it looks like they prefer chaos.

Team Canada top performers (through 3 games)

Canada’s scoring list reads like an All-Star ballot.

ESPN’s stat leaders show:

• Connor McDavid: 9 points (2G, 7A)

• Macklin Celebrini: 6 points (4G, 2A)

• Sidney Crosby: 6 points (2G, 4A)

• MacKinnon: 5 points (2G, 3A)

And the story of Canada’s group stage is simple: elite stars + absurd depth.

What’s Next: Knockout Round Paths (and the USA–Canada math)

Both teams earned byes into the quarterfinals, but Canada’s goal differential gave them the No. 1 overall seed, with the U.S. as No. 2.

Qualification Round matchups (who they’ll likely face next)

Per ESPN’s bracket setup:

• Sweden vs Latvia — winner faces Team USA

• Czechia vs Denmark — winner faces Team Canada 

That means:

• USA’s path likely runs through a physical, structured opponent (Sweden) or a pesky underdog (Latvia).

• Canada’s path likely runs through a skilled Czech team or a Denmark side that already showed it can make games weird early.

The Big Picture: Why a USA–Canada Gold Game Feels “Destined”… and What Could Stop It

Why it’s trending toward that matchup

• Canada is scoring in waves and sitting on top of the tournament scoring leaders.

• USA is getting steadier each game and just delivered its cleanest performance in the closer.

What could derail it

• Single-elimination hockey is a cruel sport. One hot goalie, one weird bounce, one bad penalty kill… and history changes.

• For the U.S., a disciplined Sweden game could turn into a grind.

• For Canada, the danger is complacency—because the margin for error shrinks fast.

Still: if both teams keep playing like this, the tournament is begging for the matchup everyone wants.