Olympic Hockey Roundup: Shutouts, Statement Wins, and a Busy Slate Ahead
It was a packed day on the Olympic ice, with five games on tap following the rescheduled Canada-Finland women’s matchup. Both the Canadian and U.S. men’s teams made their tournament debuts, while Switzerland, Germany, and the Canadian women all delivered dominant performances.
Switzerland 4, France 0 (Men’s Group A)
Switzerland wasted no time setting the tone, jumping out to a 2-0 lead just over three minutes into the game thanks to goals from Damien Riat and Janis Moser. France managed to settle in after that early flurry, but they couldn’t solve Leonardo Genoni, who turned away all 27 shots he faced. The veteran netminder etched his name into the record books, becoming the oldest goaltender in the NHL-at-the-Olympics era to post a shutout.
Timo Meier added two insurance goals in the third period, putting the game out of reach and capping off a clinical Swiss performance. For France, Montreal Canadiens forward Alexandre Texier logged heavy minutes-23 in total-and fired three shots on goal, though he finished with a -1 rating.
Canada 5, Finland 0 (Women’s Group A)
After a tough 5-0 loss to the U.S., Canada’s women came out with something to prove-and they delivered. It wasn’t a flawless outing, but it was the kind of bounce-back performance that can reestablish confidence and rhythm.
Emily Clark led the way with a pair of goals, while Daryl Watts, Kristin O’Neill, and Jenn Gardiner each chipped in one. O’Neill also added an assist, giving her a two-point night, while Julia Gosling and Laura Stacey each recorded two assists.
Head coach Troy Ryan acknowledged that the team still has areas to sharpen, especially if they’re going to compete with the Americans again later in the tournament. But he liked the way his squad managed the offensive zone and executed cleaner breakouts, noting, “We didn’t panic, we spread things out and used the middle a lot more.”
Ann-Renée Desbiens, who was pulled in the previous game, rebounded with a 17-save shutout-her third start in four days. She credited the team’s energy and structure, saying, *“We played with a fire under us… we pressured hard, created turnovers, and attacked off those turnovers.
That’s our identity.” *
Canada 5, Czechia 0 (Men’s Group A)
[Editor’s note: This game was previously recapped and is referenced here for completeness.]
United States 5, Latvia 1 (Men’s Group C)
Latvia came out swinging and managed to keep things level through 20 minutes, even after two U.S. goals were waved off. Brady Tkachuk and Renars Krastenbergs traded goals just under two minutes apart in the first period, giving the underdogs a brief moment of momentum.
But the Americans took over in the second, scoring three unanswered goals to break the game wide open. Brock Nelson led the charge with two goals, while Tage Thompson and Auston Matthews each found the back of the net. The U.S. offense was clicking, and their depth showed-Jack Eichel, Matthew Tkachuk, and both Hughes brothers (Quinn and Jack) each tallied two assists.
In net, Connor Hellebuyck was steady with 17 saves. On the other side, Latvia split goaltending duties: Elvis Merzlikins gave up four goals on 32 shots before giving way to Arturs Silovs, who allowed one goal on six shots in the third.
Germany 3, Denmark 1 (Men’s Group C)
Germany came out flying, with Leon Draisaitl lighting the lamp just 23 seconds in. The Edmonton Oilers star added an assist later, while Tim Stützle scored twice in the second period to give Germany a cushion they wouldn’t relinquish.
Denmark didn’t go quietly, though. Oscar Moelgaard scored their lone goal, and the Danes actually outshot Germany 38-26.
But Philipp Grubauer was the difference-maker in goal, turning aside 37 shots to anchor the win. Frederik Andersen stopped 23 for Denmark in a game where the margin was closer than the scoreboard might suggest.
Germany’s top-end talent made the difference, and if Draisaitl, Stützle, and Grubauer can keep this level of play going, they’ll be a tough out for anyone in Group C.
What’s Next
If five games felt like a full slate, buckle up-six games are on deck over the next two days.
On the men’s side, Finland takes on Sweden in a heavyweight Group C showdown, while Italy faces Slovakia. France and Czechia will also square off in Group A. In the women’s tournament, the quarterfinals begin with Czechia facing Sweden, Canada meeting Switzerland, and the U.S. taking on Italy.
The action is heating up fast, and with group standings and medal hopes on the line, every shift is starting to matter just a little more.