Team USA men’s hockey is just one step away from advancing to the gold-medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Quinn Hughes’ heroics saved the day during Wednesday’s quarterfinal, helping the Americans avoid a late collapse and setting up a semifinal against Slovakia. Puck drop is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. ET on Friday, as the two teams battle it out for a spot in the gold medal game. While Slovakia is home to just 5.45 million people, a population smaller than that of Minnesota, it cannot be overlooked. It has been one of the best teams so far at this tournament, knocking off Finland in the preliminary round and winning Group B. Canada and Finland are...
