In the first win-or-go-home game of the day, Team Slovakia delivered a dominant all-around performance, leaving no chance to Team Germany and punching their ticket to Friday’s semifinals. Pavol Regenda of the San Jose Sharks led the way with three points, scoring twice and adding an assist. Dalibor Dvorsky of the St. Louis Blues and former Florida Panthers forward Oliver Okuliar each chipped in a goal and an assist, while captain Tomas Tatar and Milos Kelemen also found the back of the net for the Slovaks.
After a convincing showing on Tuesday in a 5-1 win over Team France, the Germans failed to cope with Slovakia’s speed and pressure, with Leon Draisaitl and other NHL players not finding the energy to match the opposition’s inspired effort. Team Germany will thus return home empty-handed, as they did in other Olympic Games with NHL participation.
No Goals From Slafkovsky, Yet the Slovaks Won Again
The Montreal Canadiens forward surprisingly didn’t score today, registering only an assist on Tatar’s empty-net goal in the third period. Even so, Team Slovakia found enough depth to put up six goals and earn a well-deserved victory. It is an encouraging sign for Vladimir Orszagh’s side as they head into the medal round, knowing they can produce offense even when their top player is kept off the scoresheet.
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Even without scoring, Slafkovsky had a strong outing, flashing his exceptional puck skills and repeatedly putting in the work in the defensive zone. Offensive production instead came from other lines. Dvorsky was excellent once again, finding the net and bringing his tournament total to an impressive six points (three goals and three assists) in four games. Others also stepped up in a big way, including Regenda and Okuliar, while Samuel Hlavaj once again outperformed an NHL goalie as the last line of defense for Team Slovakia.
Not the Best Effort from the Germans
After Tuesday’s convincing 5–1 win over France, it appeared that Team Germany had a genuine chance to reach the semifinals. Built around a core of high-profile NHL players, backed by a reliable presence in goal in Philipp Grubauer, and supported by some intriguing secondary scoring options, Germany seemed to have all the tools in place to advance past the quarterfinals.
However, something never quite clicked for Germany, who were on the back foot from the early stages, well before Regenda scored the go-ahead goal, and were forced to chase the game against Slovakia. At no point did Harold Kreis’s side look capable of seriously threatening their opponents, and the final scoreline reflected that reality, as the Germans once again failed to progress beyond the quarterfinals.
Will the Slovaks Medal?
Despite dressing only seven NHL players, Slovakia enjoyed an excellent run in the tournament. Their performance served as a strong reminder that, in competitions like this, team chemistry can be just as important as NHL star power — if not more so. On paper, Germany arguably boasted greater individual firepower, led by reigning scoring champion Leon Draisaitl on the top line, 90-point scorer Tim Stutzle, and former Calder Trophy winner Moritz Seider anchoring the blue line.
Yet Team Slovakia displayed greater cohesion, stronger chemistry, and ultimately a deeper desire to win. Such qualities are crucial in a short-format tournament like the Olympic Games, even with NHL participation, where elite talent is abundant.
Back in Action on Friday
The Slovaks will return to action on Friday, but the semis are yet to be set as of this writing. Both semifinal games will be played on Friday, at 10:40 a.m and 3:10 p.m. (ET). The Germans are out of medal contention and won’t be playing again.
