The men’s hockey Winter Olympics tournament has been absolutely incredible. Memorable games and moments have been formed, but now, it’s time to play for hardware. Finland and Slovakia will go at each other with one simple task: win, and get the bronze medal.
Finland‘s dream to get the gold was stopped by Canada in the most heartbreaking way possible. The Europeans were winning the game 2-0 and then Canada, without Sidney Crosby, were able to rally and get a shattering comeback that broke Finnish’s hearts. MacKinnon scored the decisive goal with 36 seconds to go.
As for Slovakia, it wasn’t as close. They got trumped by Team USA 6-2 despite Samuel Hlavaj heroics by doing 19 saves on 23 shots before being pulled. Still, Stanislav Skorvanek replaced him and made another 15 saves. However, USA showed there are levels.
What happens if Finland beats Slovakia?
A victory for Finland in this game would give the nordic squad the bronze medal in this Winter Olympics of Milano Cortina. This is a “win and you get in the history books” kind of game. Still, it might feel like a step down as Finland won gold at the last Olympics in Beijing.
Juraj Slafkovsky #20 of Team Slovakia
Slovakia is not as strong of a team as Finland, at least during this tournament. In the end, Finland’s goal was to validate the gold won four years ago. In the end, Finland is a sizable favorite even in the betting odds.
see also
Team Canada officially loses Sidney Crosby key teammate for gold medal game against Team USA in 2026 Winter Olympics hockey
What happens if Finland and Slovakia tie?
Since Olympic men’s hockey semifinals are single-elimination, a tie at the end of the three 20-minute periods is impossible. Unlike preliminary rounds where a draw might result in shared points, these games must produce a definitive winner to determine who gets the bronze medal.
In case of a tie after three periods, the game enters a 10-minute, 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime. This format is designed to open the ice, placing a premium on transition speed and puck possession. Should the overtime period end scoreless, the winner is decided by a best-of-five shootout featuring an alternating shot sequence.
The technical structure of these rules significantly raises the stakes of every game, which is what you want in a medal game. Coaches are forced to pivot their strategies, tailoring specific lines for the wide-open 3-on-3 format, while goaltenders must prepare for the psychological pressure of a potential shootout.
What happens if Finland loses to Slovakia today?
A loss here would mean that Finland return from the Winter Olympics would be empty-handed. Slovakia would earn the bronze medal while Finland would go from gold-to-none in the span of only one Olympic period.
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