Players of Canada celebrate scoring during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

MILAN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The stage is set for a North American showdown in the Milan-Cortina 2026 men's ice hockey gold medal game after Canada and the United States advanced through contrasting semifinal victories on Friday.

Canada staged a dramatic comeback to defeat defending champion Finland 3-2, overturning a two-goal deficit with three unanswered goals - including a power-play winner by Nathan MacKinnon with just 35 seconds left in regulation. The victory marks Canada's first appearance in an Olympic final since winning gold at Sochi 2014.

Finland struck first on a Mikko Rantanen power-play goal late in the opening period and doubled its lead early in the second when Erik Haula finished a shorthanded breakaway. But Canada responded with relentless pressure. Sam Reinhart and Shea Theodore managed to level the score 2-2. MacKinnon delivered the decisive blow in the final minute to clinch the victory.

"We got a big first goal so we could take a breath, we were only down one," said Canada's head coach Jon Cooper.

"Pretty exciting game, but they've given their coach heart palpitations."

In the day's other semifinal, the United States dominated Slovakia from start to finish, cruising to a 6-2 victory.

The gold medal game is scheduled for Sunday at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Finland and Slovakia will face off for bronze on Saturday. ■

Players of Canada celebrate winning the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Brad Marchand (C) of Canada shoots during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Kaapo Kakko (R) of Finland breaks through during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Miro Heiskanen (R) of Finland competes during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Players of Canada celebrate scoring during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Players of Canada celebrate scoring during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Players of Canada celebrate scoring during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Brad Marchand (3rd L) of Canada shoots during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

A spectator celebrates the winning of Team Canada after the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Sam Bennett (2nd L) of Canada vies for the puck during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Nathan MacKinnon of Canada celebrates scoring during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Players of Canada celebrate scoring during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Players of Canada celebrate after the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Eetu Luostarinen of Finland reacts during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Macklin Celebrini (R) of Canada shoots during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Jordan Binnington (L) and Mitch Marner of Canada celebrate after the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Spectators cheer for players of Canada during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Sam Reinhart of Canada vies with players of Finland during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Sam Reinhart (L, top) of Canada shoots during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between Canada and Finland at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Dylan Larkin (front R) of the United States shoots to score during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between the United States and Slovakia at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Juraj Slafkovsky (front L) of Slovakia and Charlie McAvoy (front R) of the United States fall during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between the United States and Slovakia at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Players of both teams fight during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between the United States and Slovakia at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

JT Miller (2nd L) of the Unites States shoots during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between the United States and Slovakia at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Players of the United States celebrate a goal during the ice hockey men's play-offs semifinal match between the United States and Slovakia at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)