The first two days of action of the 2026 Olympic men’s hockey tournament saw plenty of excitement, with an early upset and teams handling their business as expected. Going into the third day of action, which still has a four-match schedule, the matches are crucial for teams that want to avoid being drawn 0-2 in the preliminary round.
Finland vs. Sweden (6:10)
Finland: Players to watch
Sweden: Players to watch
After dropping their first match in the preliminary roundFinland gets little rest against their opponent in today’s match. The Finns face an uphill battle against a roster of nothing but NHL players when they take on Sweden in a match that could be big for both sides. Finland will need to get its attacking game going and will likely rely on players like Mikko Rantanen (Dallas Stars) and Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes) to do so.
The Finns have an NHL-heavy lineup (one player currently not in the NHL) and will need them to step up. They will also need stronger play from Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators) in the crease if they want to earn their first win against the potent Swedish attack.
Sweden comes into the match after a 5-2 win over Italy. Thanks to a spirited Italian team, it was an exciting match, but the Swedes had too much firepower in their line-up to keep up. Offensive production came from multiple players in the win, and they will need their depth to continue to shine. The biggest highlight for Sweden in their first match was Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres), who provided three assists and looked strong from the backend.
A solid defensive effort will go a long way for the Swedes as they look to move to a 2-0 record in the tournament and cement their position at the top of Group B. Additionally, it would be a very welcome sign to see players like Lucas Raymond (Detroit Red Wings) and (Vancouver Canucks) get on the scoresheet.
Favorite: Sweden
Italy vs Slovakia (6:10)
Italy: Players to watch
Slovakia: Players to watch
After staying in a match many thought they wouldn’t have a chance against Sweden, the Italians look to use some of the momentum they had in that match into their match against Slovakia. The biggest question mark is what they will get out of their goaltending. In the 5-2 loss to Sweden, Damian Clara stood on his head and stopped 46 shots before leaving with an injury. If he can repeat that performance, the Italians can have a chance in this match. They will also need to maintain the energy they had in their first game.
Slovakia is doing well after beating Sweden on the opening day of the Games. Juraj Slafovský (Montreal Canadiens) played a great game, scoring twice and providing an assist for the Slovaks. His continued strong play, combined with Dalibor Dvorsky (St. Louis Blues) and the rest of the supporting cast, will be key to another win. Overall, the Italians do not possess the skill to stay with the Slovakian squad for an entire 60-minute match and could end up resembling the Italians’ opening defeat to Sweden, a close game in which Slovakia eventually puts the match away after the Italian players are exhausted.
Favorite: Slovakia
France vs Czech Republic (10:40)
France: Rooster
Czech Republic: Players to watch
France couldn’t get much going in their first match of the tournament shutout Switzerland 4-0 on February 12. They managed to put 27 shots at the net, but their big players like Alexandre Texier (St. Louis Blues) and Pierre-Édouard Bellemare could not help break the attack. Against a Czech team looking to avenge their own shutout loss to the Canadians, they will have to try to put a few goals on the board to have a chance against a stronger selection from the Czech Republic.
One of the biggest reasons the French weren’t completely blown away in their loss to the Swiss was the play of goalkeeper Antoine Keller. If he is back in net today, he will need another strong performance and his defense to keep things close.
Related: Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics men’s hockey tournament
The Czech Republic comes into the match having failed to break through the Canadian defense and goaltender Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues). France clearly lacks the depth or skill of the Canadians, but the Czechs will need players like David Pastrnak (Boston Bruins) and Tomáš Hertl (Vegas Golden Knights) to get to the front of the ice. The Czechs should be able to get a win and get themselves going in this win as they look to work their way into probably second spot in Group A.
Favorite: Czech Republic
Canada vs. Switzerland (3:10 p.m.)
Canada: Players to watch
Switzerland: Players to watch
Canada certainly looked like the team many have pegged as favorites to win gold at this year’s Olympics when they sidelined the Czech Republic in the first match of the preliminary round, and they will look to carry plenty of momentum into their match against an upset Swiss side. The production and play from the entire lineup was on full display, and they received strong goaltending from Binnington. Do they play it on consecutive days? That remains to be seen, but if they decide to move into the fold elsewhere, the Canadians will have Logan Thompson (Vegas Golden Knights) or Darcy Kuemper (Los Angeles Kings) at their disposal.
With a lineup featuring Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) in the third row, any team will have a hard time beating them.
Switzerland opened their time in Italy with a strong performance against France and looked like a team that could surprise at this year’s Olympics. Instead of going with an NHL goaltender, they turned to Leonardo Genoni for their first game, and he looked strong for Switzerland. There’s a chance they turn to Akira Schmid (Vegas Golden Knights) against a more powerful Canadian roster.
Switzerland has enough NHL talent on its roster to remain competitive against Canada, but Canada’s overall depth and top quality will be too much for Switzerland to handle in this game.
Favorite: Canada
Important day of action
With each team having one match in hand today, they will look to continue to position themselves well to reach the next stage of the tournament. Falling to 0-2 is certainly not where any team wants to be in a three-match preliminary round.
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