As the Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina 2026 heat up, the stage is set for an epic medal round. In a thrilling rematch of last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, the United States will clash with Canada for the gold on Sunday, while Finland and Slovakia will battle for bronze on Saturday.
The Florida Panthers have a strong presence in the tournament, with seven of their ten skaters still in the hunt for a medal. At least four of these players are guaranteed to bring home some hardware.
Let’s break down how the semifinals unfolded:
Canada 3, Finland 2
Canada pulled off an impressive comeback to secure a 3-2 victory over Finland, booking their spot in the gold medal game. Finland jumped to an early lead, with Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars scoring first.
Erik Haula from the Nashville Predators doubled the lead with a shorthanded goal. However, Canada began their rally with Panthers forward Sam Reinhart tipping in a shot from Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche on a power play, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
The equalizer came from Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore, making it 2-2. With just 36 seconds left in regulation, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche delivered the game-winning one-timer on a power play, overcoming a challenge for offside after a review. Finland’s Juuse Saros was impressive with 36 saves, while Canada’s Jordan Binnington stopped 15 of 17 shots.
Panthers Stats
Canada
- Sam Reinhart: 1 goal, 3 shots, 6:24 time on ice
- Sam Bennett: 2 shots, 10:31 time on ice
- Brad Marchand: 1 shot, 11:09 time on ice
Finland
- Niko Mikkola: 18:38 time on ice
- Anton Lundell: 5 shots, 16:07 time on ice
- Eetu Luostarinen: 5 shots, 17:01 time on ice
United States 6, Slovakia 2
The United States dominated Slovakia with a decisive 6-2 victory, setting up their gold medal clash with Canada. Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils was on fire, scoring twice, while Zach Werenski from the Columbus Blue Jackets contributed three assists. Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk continued his playmaking prowess, adding another assist to his tournament tally.
Hughes and Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights extended the lead with goals just 19 seconds apart in the second period, making it 4-0. Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets was solid in net, stopping 22 of 24 shots. Slovakia’s Juraj Slafkovsky, from the Montreal Canadiens, managed to add to his tournament-leading goal tally, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.
Panthers Stats
United States
- Matthew Tkachuk: 1 assist, 2 shots, 15:41 time on ice
As the Panthers’ players continue to shine, the anticipation builds for the final face-offs. The showdown between the U.S. and Canada promises to be a classic, with both teams eager to claim Olympic glory.