Team USA doesn’t have as big an injury question mark as Canada does for the gold medal game with Sidney Crosby.
The United States will be wondering whether Tage Thompson is good to go, though, after leaving the semifinal after the second period and not returning.
The gold medal game is at 2 p.m. local time in Italy on Sunday, less than 48 hours after the U.S. completed their semifinal blowout of Slovakia.
Thompson had a goal and an assist in that game.
They’d certainly like the 6-foot-6 forward from the Buffalo Sabres to be good to go for the final.
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Is Tage Thompson playing in the gold medal game?
The expectation is that yes, Thompson will play in the gold medal game.
He was at Saturday’s practice, and head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters that Thompson looked sharp.
The reasoning for his absence from the third period on Friday had been “precautionary” anyway, and that appears to be accurate.
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With a gold medal on the line, Thompson isn’t expected to miss the opportunity.
Thompson is on a bottom-six even-strength line for the U.S., but on the powerplay, he jumps up to the first unit.
That’s where he scored his low-angle slapshot goal on Friday, and it’s where he’s hoping to be again on Sunday.
