BOSTON - The Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina 2026 are heating up as we enter the semifinal stage of the men’s hockey tournament. The stakes are high with Team USA, Finland, Canada, and Slovakia all vying for a coveted spot in the gold-medal game.
From the Boston Bruins, Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman are still in the hunt with Team USA, while Henri Jokiharju and Joonas Korpisalo continue their quest with Finland. The quarterfinals were nothing short of thrilling, with three of the four matchups going into overtime, including the nail-biters featuring USA and Finland.
Quinn Hughes was the hero for Team USA, netting the game-winning goal in a tight 2-1 victory over Sweden. Hughes, who has been paired with McAvoy throughout the Olympics, showcased his exceptional skill.
“He’s the kind of guy you want with the puck in crucial moments,” McAvoy praised. “He made something out of nothing.”
McAvoy clocked in 19:22 of ice time against Sweden, facing off against fellow Bruins Elias Lindholm and Hampus Lindholm. Hampus stepped in for Victor Hedman, who was sidelined with an injury, and logged 15:48 on the ice. Despite the fierce competition, it was McAvoy and Swayman who celebrated the hard-fought win.
Reflecting on the game, McAvoy said, “It was an unreal hockey game. Two really good teams with so much talent. I’m just thrilled we came out on top.”
Next up, Team USA takes on Slovakia in the semifinals at 3:10 p.m. ET on Friday, after Slovakia’s commanding 6-2 win over Germany.
Finland, featuring Jokiharju and Korpisalo, will clash with Canada in the other semifinal at 10:40 a.m. ET on Friday. Finland edged out Switzerland 3-2 in an overtime thriller to advance.
Canada narrowly escaped an upset against Team Czechia, with David Pastrnak putting on a show. Pastrnak scored a power-play goal, his second of the tournament, giving Czechia a brief lead. But Canada rallied, with Nick Suzuki tying the game and Mitch Marner sealing the deal in overtime for a 4-3 victory.
Dans Locmelis and Team Latvia were knocked out in the playoff round by Sweden, falling 5-1.
As the semifinals loom, McAvoy, Swayman, Jokiharju, and Korpisalo are all still in the running for Olympic glory. The gold-medal showdown is set for Sunday at 8:10 a.m.
ET, with the bronze-medal game on Saturday at 2:40 p.m. ET.
In the aftermath of the thrilling win over Sweden, McAvoy shared his thoughts on Quinn Hughes and Connor Hellebuyck’s standout performances, underscoring the depth of talent in this year’s Olympic competition.