Searches for Canadian Sports Bars Skyrocket 100% Prior to Sunday's Game

Both teams enter the final undefeated, each boasting a 3-0-0 record in the tournament. Team USA advanced with a convincing 6-2 semifinal victory over Slovakia, highlighted by two goals from Jack Hughes and three assists from Zach Werenski. Canada, meanwhile, edged out Finland 3-2 in their semifinal, relying on third-period comebacks throughout the knockout rounds. This matchup marks only the third time the U.S. and Canada have met in an Olympic gold medal game with NHL players involved, with Canada prevailing in 2002 and 2010.

For the Americans, the date holds special significance. February 22 coincides with the anniversary of the "Miracle on Ice," when the U.S. stunned the Soviet Union on February 22, 1980, en route to gold two days later. Team USA is chasing its first men's Olympic hockey gold since that iconic tournament, and players have embraced the "gold or bust" mentality. Canada, as the defending Olympic champions and perennial favorites (listed at -126 odds), aims to extend our dominance in the sport.

Across Canada, excitement for the early-morning puck drop is palpable, reflected in a dramatic uptick in Google Trends searches for sports bars and related venues. Interest in "toronto sports bar" peaked at 100 on February 21 (meaning it was the single highest level of search interest in the selected period and location, not a literal count of searches) in Ontario over the past week, as fans hunt for spots to catch the 8:10 a.m. action. As of 8:30 p.m. EST, queries related to sports bars are currently the most searched item in all of Ontario, Nova Scotia, and rising in provinces such as Manitoba and British Columbia.

Related queries show widespread enthusiasm, spanning major cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and beyond. Here's a selection of top and rising queries from Canada over the past week: