NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 21, 2026
Canada and the United States advance to the Olympic Men’s gold-medal game, Finland and Slovakia to meet for the bronze medal, and the latest NHL news in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.
OLYMPIC MEN’S HOCKEY NEWS
NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon scored with 35.2 seconds remaining in the third period to lift Canada over Finland by a score of 3-2.
Team Canada center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL.com)
Finland held a 2-0 lead early in the second period on goals by Mikko Rantanen and Erik Haula. However, they inexplicably went into a defensive shell for the rest of the game, allowing Canada to tie the game on goals by Sam Reinhart and Shea Theodore, setting the stage for MacKinnon’s game-winner.
Canada will face the United States in the gold-medal game on Sunday at 8 AM ET.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second straight comeback victory for Canada, and like their game against Czechia on Wednesday, it had its share of controversy.
Before Theodore’s goal, Canadian winger Brad Marchand collided with Finnish goaltender Juuse Saros after he appeared to be pushed by Haula. Both players quickly got to their feet, and Saros was back in position for Theodore’s shot, which deflected off his shoulder into the net.
Saros protested to the officials that it was goaltender interference, but there was no challenge from his coach. Some observers questioned that decision, but had that challenge failed (and it likely would’ve), the Finns would’ve been assessed a delay of game penalty with the score tied at two.
It should be noted that Saros was outstanding for Finland. With his teammates trying to sit on their two-goal lead, the Nashville Predators’ goaltender made 36 saves. If not for him, the Canadians lead would’ve been wider.
Finland challenged MacKinnon’s goal, claiming Canadian winger Macklin Celebrini was offside on a zone entry about a minute beforehand. However, the video review showed Celebrini was onside, albeit barely.
Canada got the win without team captain Sidney Crosby, who is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered against Czechia. Connor McDavid took over the captaincy for this game. Crosby could return to action in the gold-medal game on Sunday.
McDavid continues to be an offensive force for Canada. The Edmonton Oilers center set the Olympic men’s hockey single tournament points record with 13, breaking the previous mark of 11 points jointly held by Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu in the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Celebrini is also shining for Canada. The 19-year-old San Jose Sharks superstar sits second in points with 10 and leads all scorers in this tournament with five goals. He logged a team-leading 25:53 of ice time against Finland and also led Canada in shots and scoring chances.
The United States punched its ticket to the gold-medal game with a 6-2 victory over Slovakia.
Jack Hughes scored twice, Zach Werenski collected three assists, and Jack Eichel, Brady Tkachuk, and Tage Thompson each had a goal and an assist. Juraj Slafkovsky and Pavol Regenda replied for Slovakia, who will face Finland on Saturday in the bronze-medal game at 2:30 PM ET.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slovakia exceeded expectations in this tournament by getting this far, but this underdog club was no match for the powerful Americans, who held a 5-0 lead after two periods.
Thompson left this game after the second period with an undisclosed injury for precautionary reasons. An update on his status could be announced on Saturday.
The stage is now set for the rematch of the 4 Nations Face-Off final that everyone knew was coming. If Canada wins, they’ll become the first nation to win 10 gold medals in Olympic Men’s hockey. If the United States takes gold, it’ll be their third, and the first since the Miracle on Ice in 1980.
The Americans are looking forward to that game. Like Canada, they’re undefeated in this tournament. They feel they’re peaking as a team at the right time, but they’re not taking their Canadian opponents lightly.
NHL NEWS
THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Filip Chytil is sidelined indefinitely with a facial fracture after a puck struck him during practice on Wednesday.
NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Matt Rempe will undergo a second procedure on his left thumb and will be placed on injured reserve. No timeline was given for his return.
TSN: Gavin McKenna collected eight points to lead Penn State to an 11-4 rout of Ohio State, breaking the school’s previous single-game record of five points. McKenna is the projected top prospect in this year’s NHL Draft.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenna was recently charged with misdemeanor simple assault, disorderly conduct, and harassment following an alleged altercation in January. A felony charge of aggravated assault was subsequently dropped. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 11.
Filip Chytil Has lots of luck but unfortunately for him it is all bad. The Canada USA game should become a classic if it is anything like several other games in this Olympics
Has anyone had worse luck in their career than Chytil. There is a cloud over him. In reference to Rempe you live by the sword you die by the sword. I Don t care how big you are there is always a dragon slayer out there waiting for you.
What is it within the coaching fraternity that makes it mandatory, after building up a 2-0 lead, to abandon the approach that got them the lead and go into the infamous Katy-Bar-The-Door style. Especially since it seems to backfire a LOT more than it leads to success.
Small wonder Don Cherry once called it “the worst lead in hockey.”
Finland could very well have been playing for Gold tomorrow had they just kept up with the ferocious fore-checking that got them the lead in the first place.
Maybe, George. But one of the Finns said it hard when pinned in your own end for 30 seconds and then go on offence.
And while the Finns played well I wouldn’t call their early game forecheck ferocious. The Finns bottled up the neutral zone and collapsed 5 players in front of their net just like every other team Canada played. This was easily foreseen with a narrower rink, making it easier to defend against a superior opponent.
George,
You know very well why they do it, the accepted practice for a weaker team to beat a stronger one is to play a left wing lock and hope for a lead and then adjust it a neutral zone trap.
The Finns had a lead but it was, it wasn’t on account of intense forechecking, it was capitalizing on turnovers.
The NHL has tried reversing the trend by pulling the goalie with up to 3-4 minutes o play and it’s that extra player that usually is the difference.
Nothing to do with hockey, but I see where Bill Mazeroski died at age 89. I’ll never forget that walk-off HR in game 7 of the 1960 World Series when the long-suffering Pittsburgh Pirates knocked off the hated NY Yankees.
R.I.P. man.