The greatest rivalry in sports is back on the world stage. Team Canada vs Team USA is the marquee matchup of the preliminary round at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. With both teams eyeing the top seed in Group A, Tuesday’s game promises high speed, physicality, and playoff-level intensity.
Here is everything you need to know to watch the game live on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, along with viewing options, regional blackout information, and a game preview.
TV Channels and Start Time
Puck Drop: 2:10 p.m. ET / 11:10 a.m. PT (8:10 p.m. local time in Milan).
In Canada
- TV Channel: CBC (Main Network), TSN, and Sportsnet usually share coverage for marquee games, but CBC is the official Olympic broadcaster.
- Streaming: CBC Gem (Free), CBC Sports app.
In the USA
- TV Channel: USA Network.
- Streaming: Peacock (Premium subscription required).
Regional Blackouts Explained
Unlike the NHL regular season, where “regional blackouts” prevent you from watching out-of-market games to protect local cable rights, the Olympics operate on National Rights Restrictions.
- If you are in Canada: You cannot legally watch the NBC/Peacock feed without a VPN, as CBC holds the exclusive rights within Canadian borders.
- If you are in the USA: You cannot access CBC Gem to watch the Canadian feed, as NBCUniversal owns the exclusive rights in the US.
Essentially, there are no “local” blackouts (e.g., a viewer in Toronto is not blacked out from the game), but strictly national geo-blocking applies.
Game Preview: Team Records & History
This rivalry runs deep. Since women’s hockey debuted at the 1998 Nagano Games, these two nations have met in almost every gold medal final.
Olympic Medal History
- Team Canada: 5 Gold Medals (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2022), 2 Silver Medals.
- Team USA: 2 Gold Medals (1998, 2018), 4 Silver Medals, 1 Bronze Medal.
All-Time Olympic Leading Scorers
- Team Canada: The legendary Hayley Wickenheiser holds the all-time record, but current captain Marie-Philip Poulin is the active leader and arguably the greatest clutch performer in history.
- Team USA: Jenny Potter and Natalie Darwitz set the standard early on, but Hilary Knight has cemented herself as the face of American scoring, recently tying records for career Olympic goals.
Team Status & Injuries
Team USA enters this game red-hot, boasting a perfect 3-0 record in the group stage with a +14 goal differential. They have swept recent games against Switzerland (5-0) and Czechia (5-1).
Team Canada has faced adversity. Their opener against Finland was cancelled due to a norovirus outbreak on the Finnish squad. In their recent 5-1 win over Czechia, disaster potentially struck: Captain Marie-Philip Poulin left the game with an injury and did not return. Defender Erin Ambrose is also managing bumps and bruises.
My Personal Insight and Prediction
I have been watching this rivalry for years, and usually, I’d say toss the records out the window. However, the injury to Marie-Philip Poulin is a massive tilt factor. Without “Captain Clutch” at 100%, Canada loses their most dangerous weapon. The Americans have looked faster and more cohesive in the preliminary round, and they swept the Rivalry Series leading up to these games.
Prediction: Team USA wins 4-2. The US speed will be too much for a banged-up Canadian blue line, though I expect Canada to keep it close purely on grit.
2025-26 NHL Point Leaders & Playoff Pool
While the Olympics take center stage, the NHL season is heating up. The race for the Art Ross Trophy is tighter than ever in the 2025-26 season. Connor McDavid (EDM) is currently leading the pack, closely followed by Nathan MacKinnon (COL) and Nikita Kucherov (TBL). Rookie sensation Macklin Celebrini (SJS) is also making a shocking push for the top 5.
Think you know who will finish on top? Join our online playoff hockey pool! We are offering cash prizes for the winner this spring. It’s the perfect way to stay engaged with hockey once the Olympic flame goes out.
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