In a thrilling showdown at the Olympics, Finland and Slovakia faced off in the men’s hockey bronze medal game, and what a contest it turned out to be. While gold is the ultimate prize, securing a bronze can feel just as rewarding, especially when it comes on the heels of a victory.
These two teams had history, with Slovakia having bested Finland 4-1 in their tournament opener. But this time, Finland was ready to rewrite the script.
Before the puck dropped, there were notable absences on both sides. Slovakia was without Flames forward Martin Pospisil, reportedly due to illness, leaving the Flames potentially without a player in the medal games. On the Finnish bench, Mikko Rantanen was also out, creating a significant gap in their lineup.
As the game commenced, Finland took control early. They applied relentless pressure, which paid off with the first goal. A loose puck beneath Slovak goaltender Samuel Hlavaj was deftly poked free by Artturi Lehkonen, setting up Sebastian Aho to slot it home and give Finland a 1-0 lead.
The rest of the period saw both teams trading quality chances, but the goaltenders stood tall, keeping the score unchanged heading into the break.
Finland regained its stride in the second period. Erik Haula, fresh off a short-handed goal against Canada, unleashed a shot from the top of the faceoff circle, beating Hlavaj cleanly and doubling Finland’s lead to 2-0.
However, memories of a previous collapse lingered. Finland had let a 2-0 lead slip away just the day before, and Slovakia seemed poised to repeat history. With mere seconds left in the period, Tomas Tatar found himself in front of Juuse Saros and executed a slick backhand to cut the deficit to one.
The third period began with palpable tension. Finland, wary of another two-goal lead evaporating, was determined to hold firm.
An opportunity arose when Slovakia took a penalty, and Roope Hintz, who had been searching for a goal all tournament, finally found the back of the net, restoring Finland’s two-goal cushion at 3-1. Just 42 seconds later, Kaapo Kakko added another, effectively sealing the deal at 4-1.
With time dwindling, Slovakia pulled their goalie in a desperate bid to spark a comeback. But Finland capitalized, netting two empty-netters to bring the final score to a commanding 6-1, securing the bronze medal.
This victory marks Finland's eighth Olympic medal in men’s hockey, adding to their impressive collection of one gold, two silvers, and now five bronzes. Remarkably, they achieved this without their top player Aleksander Barkov throughout the tournament and without Mikko Rantanen in this decisive game.
Finland’s resilience and depth shone through, proving once again that they are a force to be reckoned with on the Olympic stage.