Fans pack Sask. bars for early‑morning Olympic hockey heartbreak

Canada’s men’s hockey team’s devastating loss was felt across the province on Sunday. Laura Woodward reports.

Canada’s men’s hockey team’s devastating loss was felt across the province on Sunday.

Bars in Regina and Saskatoon opened early for fans eager to watch the gold‑medal game.

A video shared on social media shows a lineup forming outside Regina’s Barley Mill Brew Pub before 6 a.m., with fans clutching Timbits as they headed inside to secure a spot for the Olympic matchup.

In Saskatoon, Shark Club reopened just hours after closing the night before, welcoming early‑rising hockey fans who wanted to watch the game together.

“People are really intense about the game. So there’s a lot of ‘Ohhhs and Ahhs,’” said Samantha Campbell, manager at Shark Club.

“If you’re going to be up this early, you might as well have a cocktail while doing it.”

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The United States have defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win the gold medal in men’s hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.

Canada, who was playing in its fourth gold-medal game in an Olympic tournament since NHLers were allowed to participate in 1998, had to settle for a silver medal.