Olympic hockey games on TV today: Schedule, times, channels, live streams to watch Thursday Milan 2026 action

Both the United States and Canada officially launch their 2026 Olympic campaigns this Thursday, as the men’s hockey tournament shifts into high gear in Milan. With NHL players returning to the Olympic stage for the first time in 12 years, the opening slate offers a pivotal window into the tournament's landscape with several high-profile matchups set to broadcast across major networks.

Central to the drama is the perennial power struggle between the North American giants, whose collision course for the top of the podium remains the tournament's defining storyline. Both teams enter this stretch of the preliminary round determined to assert dominance and secure the favorable seeding necessary to reclaim or defend their golden legacy.

For Canada, the arrival of generational stars like Connor McDavid and the veteran leadership of Sidney Crosby marks a long-awaited "best-on-best" return. Team USA counters with an equally formidable roster, led by the lethal scoring of Auston Matthews and the gritty, elite playmaking of Matthew Tkachuk.

From early-morning face-offs to late-afternoon showdowns, fans can catch the action through a variety of live streaming platforms and cable channels as the rounds begin to separate the true contenders from the pack.

Here's the complete schedule for Thursday.

MORE: Updated medal count for Team USA

Olympics hockey schedule today

Thursday, February 12

What channel is Olympic hockey on today?

• TV channels: USA Network

The Canada-Czechia and USA-Latvia games will be televised live by USA Network in the United States. 

How to live stream Olympic hockey today

• Live stream: Peacock 

Peacock will carry every event of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics live. The NBC-owned streaming service's sports programming features live coverage of NFL Sunday Night Football, the NBA, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Premier League soccer, Big Ten football and basketball, Notre Dame football, Big East and Big 12 basketball, PGA Tour golf, and more.

Olympic hockey schedule