Finland is through to the semifinals, but it took a full comeback and an overtime finish to get there. Switzerland built a 2-0 lead in the first period, but Finland finally broke through in the third, tied it with the goalie pulled, and won it in three-on-three when Artturi Lehkonen finished the drive-through feed from Anton Lundell.
Finland’s First Period Was Not Tournament Standard
Finland looked a half-step late early. The forecheck was not connected and was all over the place. Switzerland exited cleanly, and Finland’s puck-free work lagged behind the level required in an Olympic best-on-best quarterfinals game. That showed up most in the gaps between Finland’s forwards and defense. Switzerland was able to move pucks out of pressure and attack space before Finland’s layers set.
Down 2-0 after the first, Finland settled structurally, but the game still ran through Switzerland’s terms for long stretches. The Swiss defended the middle, forced Finland to the outside, and made controlled offense hard to sustain.
This is the part Finland cannot repeat. The comeback is a result worth celebrating, but the opening 15 minutes put Finland in a position where one more mistake would have ended their tournament.
Antti Pennanen’s postgame read matched what the game looked like; Finland did not “catch” the game immediately, and the puck-free work was missing early.
The Leaders Dragged the Game Back
Finland’s best players eventually started carrying the game, shift after shift, without waiting for the game to open. Sebastian Aho was the tone-setter in the third. He played heavy minutes, was on the ice constantly, and his 2-1 goal changed things.
Related: 3 Takeaways From Finland’s 11-0 Win Over Italy at the 2026 Milan Olympics
That goal mattered because it did not require perfect conditions. It was a scoring play created inside a tight defensive structure, the kind of finish Finland will need again in the medal round.
Finland’s late push also looked like a team that accepted who had to be on the ice. They leaned on top players, and the rotation tightened. It was not pretty hockey, but it was playoff hockey.
Pennanen also pointed to leadership inside the group postgame, crediting the unity and the leading players for keeping the team moving forward when the game got heavy.
Finland Won With Late-Game Management
The last five minutes were a test of execution and composure, and Finland passed it.
Down 2-1 late, Finland pushed without getting loose defensively. When the goalie came out for the extra attacker, Finland did not rush the first look. The puck stayed alive long enough for a clean shot lane to appear, and Miro Heiskanen buried the equalizer to make it 2-2 with the net empty. That goal mattered as much for the process as for timing. Finland earned it through sustained pressure rather than a single broken play.
Overtime ended quickly because Finland recognized a change and attacked the space decisively. Anton Lundell hit Lehkonen through the seam, and Lehkonen finished high on the breakaway to end the game at 3:23 of the extra session.
That final sequence is the most useful data point for Finland going into the semifinal. Switzerland defended well enough to keep Finland quiet for long stretches, but Finland’s best players executed with speed when the game demanded one clean decision.
Finland does not need another comeback in the next game. It needs a better start. Still, a quarterfinal win like this is never a bad thing. It proves the team can stay connected after getting punched early, and it shows the late-game bench can execute when the margin disappears.
Finland Is Through to the Semifinals
Finland will face an even bigger challenge in their semifinal game on Friday, Feb. 20.
