So it goes, the Americans won the gold in overtime after a 1-1 tie game.
Marie-Philip Poulin joins Jayna Hefford and Hayley Wickenheiser as Canada’s only five-time Olympic hockey medallists. 🏒🇨🇦
— Team Canada (@TeamCanada) February 20, 2026
Something to be proud of ❤️ pic.twitter.com/S31ZEcRjqi
Well, okay. But I bet she doesn't feel that way. Gabriel Landeskog told the media the other day something to the effect of he has a silver medal in a drawer somewhere, but all he cared about was gold. And so, it is clear, would Poulin care for gold and accept the silver without much joy.
She gave it all. She played when she was hurt, she chased down icings on days she rode the goalie cart to the arena, she scored her record-setting goal while in pain. And it didn't quite add up to enough. That's the pain you feel, the other stuff is illusory.
But I do think it was an outstanding attempt. We can cheer the trying, particularly in a sport with so many mythologies about lack of it. It was all left on the ice by Canada.
I don't know if Team Sweden Women feel that way. I think they played their overtime afraid to lose, and they got what they were afraid of.
Happiness in three official languages:
BRONZE! 🥉
— Swiss Ice Hockey (@SwissIceHockey) February 19, 2026
Wir gewinnen das Bronze-Medal-Game gegen Schweden nach Overtime mit 2:1! 👏
🚨🇨🇭: Leemann, Müller
Nous gagnons le match pour la médaille de bronze contre la Suède 2-1 après prolongation ! 🙌
Vinciamo la medaglia di bronzo contro la Svezia con 2:1! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/7CxyVjaQTu
The women's Olympic bronze medal game is about to begin here in Milan.
— Hailey Salvian (@hailey_salvian) February 19, 2026
It's a rematch of the 2014 game between Sweden and Switzerland. Back then, it was a 15-year-old Alina Müller who scored the game-winner.
She'll try to lead Switzerland back to the podium today.
Try to win, that's all you can do. The risk is losing, but the risk from not trying is much bigger. There is, however, no result more painful than silver.
Today the action returns to men's Olympic hockey. The semifinals are:
- Canada vs Finland at 10:30 am ET
- USA vs Slovakia at 3 pm
The men's bronze-medal game is tomorrow and the gold-medal game is on Sunday.
Jon Cooper would not rule Sidney Crosby out or in for today's games.
In other news:
The Wild went big on a practice goalie.
Marc-Andre Fleury is back in the Wild net ... but only to ‘help out our guys a little bit’ https://t.co/vY1RMdjQhd
— Star Tribune Sports (@StribSports) February 19, 2026
Maple Leafs prospects Nick Moldenhauer, Luke Haymes hitting groove in developing https://t.co/QgWEWlw1xX pic.twitter.com/ynTy2Y6qDg
— Toronto Sun (@TheTorontoSun) February 19, 2026
The Leafs have been recalling some Marlies for practices. So far Bo Groulx and William Villeneuve have been up with the big team.
And that's all for now, have what I really hope is a great and victorious Friday, everyone.
