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USA asserts its complete supremacy in Olympic/Paralympic ice hockey.
The final between the United States and Canada reached a full house with 11,500 tickets sold, setting a new all-time attendance record for this discipline in the history of the Paralympic Winter Games.
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Prabhjot Paul Singh - Sun, 15, Mar 2026
- 23:18 EDT
- 13
Poster celebrating U.S. women's ice hockey team's win / Hockey USA via X
The U.S. ice hockey teams have asserted their complete supremacy in all versions of the Olympics, including the Paralympics, by completing a credible hat trick of wins over their archrival and neighbor, Canada. The third and final summit clash between the two superpowers of the sport saw the U.S. defeating Canada 6-2 for its 13th gold in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics on March 15.
Earlier, last month, the U.S.A. had won both men’s and women’s titles in the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, defeating Canada in both the gold medal matches.
The Para Ice Hockey final, the last gold medal contest of the Games, witnessed a record turnout at any of the Olympic/Paralympic Ice Hockey events ever, as it was yet another extraordinary public response for the Para Ice Hockey tournament of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
The final between the United States and Canada reached a full house with 11,500 tickets sold, setting a new all-time attendance record for this discipline in the history of the Paralympic Winter Games.
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The absorbing final had many in the stands sitting on the edge of their seats as the game of swinging fortunes saw the team making use of its chances while luck eluded the losers as they saw their chances either missing the target or being beautifully defended.
This figure further improves the record already reached during the preliminary round match between the United States and Italy—which had recorded nearly 9,000 tickets sold—and confirms the exceptional public participation at the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, now one of the symbolic venues of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
The atmosphere in the arena has been vibrant since the very first games: school groups, families with children, groups of supporters, fans arriving from all over the world, and the enthusiasm of the volunteers have transformed the venue into an electrifying place. An energy that has carried everyone along in the stands and on the ice, making every match an unforgettable experience.
“The new attendance record for the Para Ice Hockey final is a very strong signal of the enthusiasm and attention surrounding these Paralympic Games,” said Andrea Varnier, CEO of Milano Cortina 2026. “Seeing more than eleven thousand spectators in the stands for a Paralympic final shows that the public’s interest stems from the strength and quality of this discipline and from its ability to generate excitement. This is a legacy that goes beyond the numbers and marks the beginning of an enduring transformation in sports culture.”
The milestone reached by the U.S..A.–Canada final confirms the growing popularity of para ice hockey, one of the most spectacular and highly competitive disciplines in the Paralympic program, and reinforces the strong public success of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
With the Para ice hockey gold, the U.S.A. retained its number two position in the overall medals tally by aggregating 24 medals, including 13 gold. The Asian giant, China, had its supremacy intact with an overall tally of 44 medals, including 15 gold.
After heartbreak losses in all three ice hockey finals, Canada had the consolation of finishing eighth in the overall medals tally with three gold, four silver, and eight bronze.
So dominant were the Chinese para-athletes that they made a clean sweep of medals in men’s 20 km slalom freestanding, with Wang Chenyang, Huang Lingxin, and Liu Xiaobin taking gold, silver, and bronze medals, respectively.
In para ice hockey, after a tight and close-finished semifinal loss, it took the bronze, defeating Czechia 3-2.
The host, Italy, had the consolation of winning the gold in men’s slalom VI through Giacomo Betagnolli. Russia, too, celebrated its return to the Olympic fold by finishing third in the medals tally with eight gold and a total of 12 medals. Aleksai Bugaev capped it with a gold in the 20 km slalom standing.
The U.S.A., too, had a gold in men’s slalom 20 km IS free when Jake Adicoff gave his country its 12th gold.
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