Canada Survives Scare, Faces U.S. In Final

Canada continued its trend of close games, securing the win with a late goal from Nathan MacKinnon with just 35.2 seconds remaining in the third period. This victory marks Canada’s third consecutive trip to the Olympic gold medal game in tournaments involving NHL players.

The Canadians will face Team USA, who defeated Team Slovakia 6-2 in the other semifinal, on Sunday at 8:10 a.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on Peacock, NBC, ICI Tele, CBC Gem, CBC, SN, TSN, and RDS2.

Canada is the first team to achieve consecutive comeback wins in the playoff stages of an Olympics with NHL participation before reaching the gold medal game. They previously rallied from behind in a 4-3 overtime win against Team Czechia in the quarterfinals.

Finland Rebounds with Dominant Bronze Medal Performance

Despite the heartbreaking loss to Canada, Finland demonstrated resilience and determination, defeating Slovakia 6-1 to secure the bronze medal. The Finns found their offensive rhythm, led by goals from Sebastian Aho and Erik Haula.

“We talked about how meaningful it is that you play in the Olympics,”

Niko Mikkola, Finnish defenseman

Juuse Saros made 36 saves in the semifinal against Canada, and the team emphasized the importance of representing their country on the Olympic stage.

Finland’s victory over Slovakia was decisive, with goals also coming from Roope Hintz, Kaapo Kakko, Joel Armia, and a second goal from Haula.

Finland’s Olympic Consistency

This marks Finland’s fifth medal in six Olympics with NHL player participation, surpassing the medal counts of Canada, Sweden, and the United States.

Despite having a smaller pool of NHL players – 39 compared to Canada’s 752 and the United States’ 222 – Finland consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to teamwork and strategic play.

“We got sisu,”

Artturi Lehkonen, Finnish forward

Sisu, a Finnish term, embodies grit, determination, and resilience.

Slovakia’s Tournament Run

For Slovakia, the loss to Finland was a tricky end to a promising tournament. The bronze medal won at the Beijing Olympics in 2022 was the country’s first in men’s ice hockey, and they aimed to build on that success in Milan.

Despite the disappointment, Slovakia’s performance, particularly finishing first in Group B, signals a positive trajectory for the nation’s hockey program.