Matthew Tkachuk, Auston Matthews, and Team USA punched their ticket to the knockout round of the 2026 Winter Olympics, where a potential matchup with Team Canada in the gold-medal game awaits. While much talk has—and still does—surround Matthews’ captaincy, Tkachuk and the American squad are fully behind their leader.
“He’s our captain. We’re following his lead,” Tkachuk commented on Matthews after Team USA’s 5-1 victory over Germany, via The New York Post.
After a quiet start to the Winter Olympics, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ captain caught fire during the final game of the round robin stage. Matthews registered two goals and an assist in the 5-1 win, which secured Team USA’s finish as Group C winner and the No. 2 seed going forward.
Team USA is going for gold
Going into the tense, win-or-go-home knockout round, such an outing from the skipper was just what the doctor ordered for Tkachuk and Team USA. With Matthews back in full stride, the Americans can truly be a force to be reckoned with.
Auston Matthews of Team USA
That on its own is enough to strike fear into the eyes of Team Canada and the rest of the competitors. However, before Team USA and Canada can play each other in the gold medal game, both must overcome tall hurdles in the quarterfinals and semifinals stage.
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Matthews leads by example
Though Matthews rarely gets involved in scrums during the NHL season, fans in Toronto were shocked to see how willing their captain was to get into the dirty areas of the rink.
His commitment to the bit has helped ease the pressure on him, as fans want to see Captain America in full force during the Winter Olympics. However, head coach Mike Sullivan and the rest of the team have no doubts about their choice for captain.
“I think it’s inspiring. Players lead different ways. Auston is not the most vocal guy,” Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan admitted. “He’s a quiet guy by nature, but he leads through his example in the way he plays the game. We all know what he’s capable of. He’s one of the best players in the world. I think he’s an inspiration to all of them.”
Home stretch for Team USA and Canada
Matthews has come to life in Milan. Matthew and Brady Tkachuk are determined to make the most of the rare opportunity to join forces and represent their country. Team USA is ready and has played its best game just in time for the decisive stage of the Winter Olympics. However, the rest of the world is coming for them, and there is no such thing as a walk-in-the-park game when national pride is on the line.
Team Canada and Team USA may boast the most household names, but hockey is a team sport, and anything can truly happen when a shot at Olympic immortality is up for grabs. Both North American powerhouses are playing a long way from home, so they had best not take anything for granted and stay aware of their surroundings on every inch of the ice.
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