Olympic Hockey Heats Up in Milan: Slafkovský Shines, Sweden Survives, and U.S. Women Dominate
The puck has officially dropped at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, and we’re already seeing storylines emerge that could shape the tournament. From Juraj Slafkovský picking up right where he left off in 2022, to a historic beatdown in the women’s rivalry that’s defined the sport for decades, Olympic hockey is delivering early.
Let’s break down the key matchups from the men’s and women’s tournaments so far.
Slafkovský Sparks Slovakia in Statement Win Over Finland
If there were any doubts about Juraj Slafkovský’s ability to shine on the Olympic stage again, he erased them in a hurry.
The reigning Olympic MVP was electric in Slovakia’s 4-1 win over Finland, notching two goals and an assist in a performance that felt like a personal highlight reel. He opened the scoring in the first period with a determined solo effort, then delivered the dagger on the power play in the third. Slafkovský looked every bit the player who led the 2022 tournament in goals as a 17-year-old and earned himself the No. 1 overall selection by the Montréal Canadiens later that year.
But this was far from a one-man show. Slovakia got a big-time performance in net from Samuel Hlavaj, who turned aside 38 of 39 shots. The undrafted AHL goaltender stood tall against a Finnish team known for its structure and puck control, giving Slovakia the backbone it needed to pull off the upset.
Dalibor Dvorský, the top pick from the 2023 draft, chipped in with a crucial goal early in the third to reclaim the lead after Finland had tied it. Adam Ružička added an empty-netter to ice the game, and the Slovak bench erupted-this one meant something.
For Slovakia, this win had layers. It wasn’t just about the two points in Group B-it was about redemption.
Four years ago in Beijing, Finland blanked Slovakia 2-0 in the semifinals en route to gold. Slovakia went on to win its first-ever Olympic medal in men’s hockey by defeating Sweden, but that semifinal loss lingered.
On Wednesday, they got a piece of that back.
There was even a bit of a throwback feel on the Slovak blue line, with former Edmonton Oilers draft picks Martin Marincin and Martin Gernát-both part of the early "Oil Change" rebuild years-logging key minutes. Gernát picked up an assist on Dvorský’s go-ahead goal, giving longtime hockey fans a little blast from the past.
Sweden Holds Off Host Italy in Tense Opener
On paper, this should’ve been a walk for Sweden. But Olympic hockey has a funny way of flipping expectations.
Italy, back in the men’s tournament for the first time since hosting in 2006, gave the heavily favored Swedes all they could handle-and then some. With a roster drawn mostly from European pro leagues, the Italians came out flying and stunned Sweden just four minutes in when Luca Frigo pounced on a misplay by goaltender Filip Gustavsson to make it 1-0.
Sweden answered with two quick goals to regain control, but Italy wasn’t done. Just 37 seconds into the second period, they tied it up again, and for a good chunk of the middle frame, the underdogs were pushing the pace. The crowd was into it, the Swedes were on their heels, and the ghosts of past Olympic upsets-yes, we're looking at you, Belarus in 2002-started to creep in.
But Sweden’s stars stepped up when it mattered. William Nylander restored the lead late in the second with a clean finish off a slick setup from Rasmus Dahlin, a goal that seemed to take the wind out of Italy’s sails. In the third, Mika Zibanejad added insurance, and Victor Hedman sealed it with an empty-netter for a 5-2 final.
Italy’s standout was 20-year-old goalie Damian Clara, who stopped 46 of 50 shots before exiting late in the third with an injury. Clara made history in 2023 as the first Italian-born player ever drafted into the NHL when the Anaheim Ducks took him 60th overall. On Wednesday, he showed why he’s one to watch.
U.S. Women Stun Canada in Rivalry Rout
Let’s not sugarcoat it-this was a seismic result.
The United States women’s team didn’t just beat Canada. They dominated them. A 5-0 win in the group stage sent a clear message: the balance of power in women’s hockey may be shifting.
With Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin sidelined by a lower-body injury, the Americans wasted no time taking control. Caroline Harvey opened the scoring early, Hannah Bilka doubled the lead before the first intermission, and the U.S. never looked back. Kirsten Simms made it 3-0 early in the second, Bilka added her second of the night, and Laila Edwards capped it off in the third.
Canada, the defending Olympic gold medalists, were outshot 22-10 through two periods and looked out of sync from start to finish. The shutout was historic-it marked the first time in 40 Olympic games that Canada’s women’s team failed to score. That streak dated all the way back to the sport’s Olympic debut in 1998.
Goaltender Aerin Frankel needed just 20 saves to post the clean sheet, as the U.S. closed out the group stage a perfect 4-0-0-0. More importantly, this marked their seventh straight win over Canada, a streak that includes a sweep in the 2025-26 Rivalry Series and a gold medal win at the 2025 World Championship.
Canada still has a chance to regroup. They’ll finish group play Thursday with a rescheduled game against Finland, whose earlier matches were affected by a norovirus outbreak. A win would lock up second place and set up a quarterfinal matchup with Germany.
What’s Next
Canada’s men’s team will make their tournament debut Thursday against Czechia, while Switzerland and France round out Group A action. In Group C, the United States will take on Latvia, and Germany will face Denmark.
The early returns from Milan are already giving us drama, upsets, and breakout performances. If this is just the beginning, we’re in for a wild ride.