The men's hockey tournament at the Winter Olympics in Milan has entered its decisive phase. In dramatic quarterfinals, the teams from Canada, the USA, and Finland secured their advancement after overtime. The biggest surprise came from Finland, who eliminated Switzerland, which had led for most of the match. Concerns arise over the health of Sidney Crosby, who suffered an injury in the clash with the Czechs. In curling, the Swiss dominate, securing their spot in the semifinals.

Hockey Horror Shows in Overtime

Three out of four quarterfinals were decided in overtime. Advancing are Canada, USA, Finland, and Slovakia, which was the only team to win decisively.

Sidney Crosby's Injury

The star player of the Canadian team suffered an injury in the match against the Czech Republic. His health condition is crucial for the further course of the Olympic tournament.

Swiss Dominance in Curling

The men's team led by Yannick Schwaller remains undefeated and has secured its place in the medal zone of the Games.

The quarterfinal battles in hockey at the 2026 Olympic Games provided fans with immense emotions, with most matches decided only in extra time. The Canadian team, considered the main favorite for gold, fought an extremely fierce battle with the Czechs. Despite trailing, the Canadians managed to equalize late in regulation time, and the winning goal for 4:3 was scored by Mitch Marner in the second minute of overtime. However, the joy of advancement was marred by an injury to captain Sidney Crosby, whose appearance in the semifinal is now in question. Crosby left the ice prematurely, which is a significant weakening for the Maple Leaf team. An equally dramatic course was the match between Finland and Switzerland. The Swiss, led by coach Patrick Fischer, dominated for nearly 40 minutes, leading 2:0. However, the Finns managed to score a contact goal in the 54th minute and equalized just 72 seconds before the final buzzer. In overtime, Artturi Lehkonen decided the advancement of the defending champions, ending Swiss dreams of their first Olympic medal since 1948. Meanwhile, the USA defeated Sweden 2:1, also after overtime, opening the path to a classic final between the two North American powerhouses. The hockey rivalry between Canada and the USA, known as the "North American Battle," has been a highlight of the Winter Games for decades, harkening back to the famous "Miracle on Ice" of 1980. [{"runda": "Quarterfinal", "strona1": "Canada", "strona2": "Czech Republic", "wynik1": 4, "wynik2": 3}, {"runda": "Quarterfinal", "strona1": "Finland", "strona2": "Switzerland", "wynik1": 3, "wynik2": 2}, {"runda": "Quarterfinal", "strona1": "USA", "strona2": "Sweden", "wynik1": 2, "wynik2": 1}, {"runda": "Quarterfinal", "strona1": "Slovakia", "strona2": "Germany", "wynik1": 6, "wynik2": 2}] Simultaneously, competitions in curling are taking place in Cortina d'Ampezzo. The men's Swiss team, led by skip Yannick Schwaller, is displaying outstanding form, recording seven wins in seven group stage matches. Thus, the Swiss were the first to secure a spot in the semifinal, defeating, among others, Germany 8:4. In the women's competition, Switzerland is also close to advancement after an important victory over Denmark 6:4. „I am both furious and very sad because we were so close to making history, and we are returning empty-handed.” — Patrick Fischer72 seconds — separated Switzerland from a historic advancement to the semifinal

Mentioned People

  • Patrick Fischer — Coach of the Swiss national ice hockey team, who is ending his work with the national team after the tournament.
  • Sidney Crosby — Captain of the Canadian national team, who suffered an injury in the quarterfinal.
  • Mitch Marner — Scorer of the decisive goal for Canada in overtime of the match against the Czech Republic.