Through the first two days of action in the 2026 Olympics Men’s Hockey Tournament, there has been plenty of excitement, with an upset early on and teams taking care of business as expected. Entering the third day of action, which features another four-game schedule, the games are crucial for teams looking to avoid going 0-2 in preliminary-round play.
Finland vs Sweden (6:10 a.m.)
Finland: Players to Watch
Sweden: Players to Watch
After dropping their first game of preliminary-round play, Finland does not get much of a break with their opponent in today’s game. The Finns face an uphill battle against a roster of nothing but NHL players when they take on Sweden in a game that could be a big one for both sides. Finland will need to get its offensive game going and will likely rely on players like Mikko Rantanen (Dallas Stars) and Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes) to do so.
The Finns do have an NHL-heavy lineup (one player not currently 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 get their first victory over the high-powered Swedish offense.
Sweden comes into the matchup off a 5-2 win over Italy. The game was a tight one thanks to a feisty Italian team, but the Swedes had too much firepower in their lineup to keep up with. Offensive production came from multiple players in the win, and they will need their depth to continue to shine. The biggest standout for Sweden in their first game was Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres), who chipped in three assists and looked strong from the backend.
A solid overall defensive effort will go a long way for the Swedes if they want to move to a 2-0 record in the tournament and cement their position at the top of Group B. Along with that, seeing players like Lucas Raymond (Detroit Red Wings) and (Vancouver Canucks) getting onto the scoresheet would be a much-welcomed sign.
Favorite: Sweden
Italy vs Slovakia (6:10 a.m.)
Italy: Players to Watch
Slovakia: Players to Watch
After staying in a game many figured they would not have a chance against Sweden, the Italians look to roll some of the momentum they had in that game into their matchup 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, stopping 46 shots before leaving with an injury. If he can replicate that performance, then the Italians could have a chance in this game. They will also need to maintain the energy they had in their first game.
Slovakia is riding high after their win against Sweden on the opening day of the games. Juraj Slafovský (Montreal Canadiens) had a great game, scoring twice and adding 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 victory. Overall, the Italians do not have the skill to hang with the Slovakian roster for an entire 60-minute game and could end up being like the Italians’ tournament-opening loss to Sweden, a close game where Slovakia finally puts the game away after wearing down the Italian players.
Favorite: Slovakia
France vs Czechia (10:40 a.m.)
France: Roster
Czechia: Players to Watch
France was unable to get much going in their first game of the tournament, getting shut out against Switzerland, 4-0, on Feb. 12. They were able to throw 27 shots at the net, but their big players like Alexandre Texier (St. Louis Blues) and Pierre-Édouard Bellemare could not help the offense break through. Against a Czechia team coming in looking to avenge their own shutout loss to the Canadians, they will need to try to scratch a few goals onto the board to have a chance against a higher-powered Czechia roster.
One of the biggest reasons that the French did not get completely blown out in their loss to the Swiss was the play of goaltender Antoine Keller. If he is in the net again 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
Czechia comes into the game after not being able to break through on 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 step up on the front end of the ice. The Czechs should be able to pull out a victory and get themselves going in this one as they look to try and fight their way towards likely the second spot in Group A.
Favorite: Czechia
Canada vs Switzerland (3:10 p.m.)
Canada: Players to Watch
Switzerland: Players to Watch
Canada looked every bit the team many have tabbed as favorites to win Gold at this year’s Olympics when they shut out Czechia in their first game of the preliminary round, and they will carry plenty of momentum into their matchup against an upset-minded Switzerland squad. The production and play from the entire lineup were on full display, and they got strong goaltending from Binnington. Do they play him on back-to-back days? That remains to be seen, but if they decide to go elsewhere in the crease, the Canadians have Logan Thompson (Vegas Golden Knights) or Darcy Kuemper (Los Angeles Kings) to turn to.
With a lineup that has Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) on its third line, any team will have a hard time beating them.
Switzerland opened their time in Italy with a strong showing against France and looked like a team that could be a 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 is a chance that they turn to Akira Schmid (Vegas Golden Knights) against a more high-powered Canadian roster.
Switzerland has plenty of NHL talent on its roster to stay competitive against Canada, but Canada’s overall depth and top-end skill will be too much for Switzerland to handle in this game.
Favorite: Canada
Important Day of Action
With each team having one game under their belts today, they will look to continue positioning themselves well to reach the next stage of the tournament. Dropping to 0-2 is surely not where any team wants to be in a three-game preliminary round.
