{"time":1771695676884,"blocks":[{"id":"RtBv7ajC8S","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Since 1998, NHLers have played in five Olympic hockey gold medal games."}},{"id":"xYMBSGJa_Z","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"On Feb. 22, we will see Team Canada battle Team USA for first place in Milan. However, in the sixth edition of the true best-on-best championship game at the Olympics, it has an earlier-than-usual start time."}},{"id":"5cn6CqXP4T","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"North Americans will have to tune in for the earliest start time in 12 years for the men's hockey gold medal game. At 8:10 a.m. EST, the puck will drop to begin the final game of the Olympics."}},{"id":"mlwk83o3","type":"video","data":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/285a49bb-bc94-4565-adb9-f8ce6d5c5836/mp4","caption":"","autoplay":false,"controls":true,"muted":false,"stretched":true,"width":0,"height":0,"image":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/285a49bb-bc94-4565-adb9-f8ce6d5c5836/thumbnail"},"cdn":{"videoId":"285a49bb-bc94-4565-adb9-f8ce6d5c5836","libraryId":"372172","collectionId":"30032062-eefd-4041-a355-12ad05bc987b","cdnBaseUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net","mp4Url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/285a49bb-bc94-4565-adb9-f8ce6d5c5836/mp4","thumbnailUrl":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/285a49bb-bc94-4565-adb9-f8ce6d5c5836/thumbnail","previewAnimationUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net/285a49bb-bc94-4565-adb9-f8ce6d5c5836/preview.webp"}}},{"id":"R0fMSbRRrL","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Nagano, Japan, hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics, which featured NHL players on rosters for the first time. The start time for the matchup between Czechia and Russia was 11:45 p.m. EST, given the 14-hour time difference."}},{"id":"LzB9ra8vJg","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Salt Lake City, USA, held the 2002 Winter Olympics, and it was the first time in 50 years that Canada won gold in men's hockey. The start time against Team USA began at 3 p.m. EST."}},{"id":"zW6dUOJ-sU","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/it-s-a-great-opportunity-to-beat-them-team-usa-is-ready-for-canada-in-olympic-men-s-hockey-final","meta":{"title":"'It's A Great Opportunity To Beat Them': Team USA Is Ready For Canada In Olympic Men's Hockey Final","site_name":"The Hockey News","url":"https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/it-s-a-great-opportunity-to-beat-them-team-usa-is-ready-for-canada-in-olympic-men-s-hockey-final","description":"Quinn Hughes didn't get to play in last year's 4 Nations Face-Off, when Team USA beat Canada in Montreal, and the Canadians won the final. Now, he and his teammates get the opportunity they wanted to face Canada in Milan.","image":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/b2d7f14f-f2d8-4817-9a0e-f84dac749daa.jpeg","type":"jpeg"}}}},{"id":"qMXfEVVhDb","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The 2006 Winter Olympics were held in Turin, Italy, where Sweden swiped gold from Finland with a game-winning save. At an 8 a.m. EST start time, it was the first time Easterners had to wake up in the morning to see NHLers on the Olympic gold ice."}},{"id":"VnZvTJAppt","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics featured the \"Golden Goal\" from Sidney Crosby, often considered the best and most memorable moment in modern Olympic history. Canada narrowly beat Team USA, with the game starting at 3:15 p.m. EST."}},{"id":"0X3KGXYdoN","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Finally, the last time we saw NHLers at the Winter Olympic Games was 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Canada dominated Sweden with the earliest start time we have seen since the introduction of NHLers. The eight-hour time difference put the game at 4 p.m. locally, waking Canadians for a 7 a.m. EST puck drop."}},{"id":"qRW2-I73ZX","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/the-canada-and-usa-gold-medal-match-is-not-just-a-hockey-game-despite-what-mcdavid-says","meta":{"title":"The Canada And USA Gold Medal Match Is Not Just 'A Hockey Game,' Despite What McDavid Says","site_name":"The Hockey News","url":"https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/the-canada-and-usa-gold-medal-match-is-not-just-a-hockey-game-despite-what-mcdavid-says","description":"Connor McDavid says those who played for Team Canada at the Olympics before him represented the country well, and he hopes to do the same. Although he didn't want to get into the geopolitical backdrop, it's clear this men's hockey final is more than a game.","image":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/6c329979-74c5-4ccc-bfaf-a4b1ff76c74d.jpeg","type":"jpeg"}}}},{"id":"YJTmxrXAD9","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"In the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games, which didn't feature NHL players, the gold medal games took place at 11:10 p.m. EST, so it was the complete opposite of very early."}},{"id":"U1aavHCFUL","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"For folks on the West Coast, they can expect to wake up around 3 a.m. PST if they plan to head to a bar to watch the game with their peers. Bars and restaurants across some Canadian provinces have been permitted to open and start selling alcohol as early as 5 or 6 a.m. for this early-morning game."}},{"id":"6ou_yal60Y","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Ella Corbin is an intern with The Hockey News."}},{"id":"jNCMDVd2Xe","type":"delimiter","data":{}},{"id":"TC2HJMiQvS","type":"image","data":{"caption":"","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"size":"full","alignment":"center","linkUrl":"","file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/8127be64-29a5-4c3a-8ebc-51fffbeb115e.jpeg"}}},{"id":"7UZkP6jnQX","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum."}}],"version":"2.31.0"}

Ella Corbin

EllaCorbin@THNN

How Early Is The Men's Hockey Gold Medal Game Compared To Past Years?