Milan–Cortina 2026 | Ice Hockey Men: Finland vs Slovakia, Sweden vs Italy
Milan – Cortina 2026 | Ice Hockey Men: Finland vs Slovakia, Sweden vs Italy – What to Expect and Where to Watch
🥇 2026 Winter Olympics · Milan–Cortina are taking place from 6 to 22 February. On Wednesday, 11 February, the men’s ice hockey tournament kicks off. The first game of the day features Finland vs Slovakia (18:40 CET), followed by Sweden vs Italy in the evening (23:10 CET). Olympics provides a preview of these matches and information on where to watch them live.
🥅 Finland vs Slovakia · 11 February, 18:40 CET
Beijing 2022 legacy At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, both teams achieved historic success: Finland won its first-ever Olympic gold, while Slovakia took bronze, with young forward Juraj Slafkovsky named the tournament MVP.
🏒 NHL participation For the 2026 Games, team rosters have changed significantly: the participation of NHL players has strengthened top teams. Finland’s roster is almost entirely made up of NHL players, except for defenseman Mikko Lehtonen, the only Olympic champion from Beijing 2022 on the team, who was also one of the flag bearers at the opening ceremony.
⭐ Finland’s squad is star-studded three top goalkeepers (Kevin Lankinen, Juuse Saros, Joonas Korpisalo) and leading NHL players, including Miro Heiskanen, Sebastian Aho, Mikko Rantanen, and Teuvo Teravainen.
⚠️ Underdog alert Slovakia is the underdog in this matchup but still has key players: Juraj Slafkovsky, defenders Šimon Nemec and Martin Fehervari. The Slovak team is expected to focus on organized defensive play.
🇸🇪 Sweden vs Italy · 11 February, 23:10 CET
🏒 Sweden – clear favorite Sweden is the clear favorite in this matchup. All Swedish players are active in the NHL, many in leading roles. Notable names include defensemen Rasmus Dahlin, Erik Karlsson and forwards Mikael Nylander, Gabriel Landeskog, Elias Pettersson, and Mika Zibanejad.
The team is well-balanced, combining creative playmakers with strong, physical players. Sweden is considered one of the medal contenders at the Milan–Cortina 2026 Olympics.
🔥 potential upset Italy has more modest goals, aiming to perform respectably on home ice. There’s potential for an upset if young goalkeeper Damian Clara hits form — he currently plays in the Swedish league and was selected in the second round of the NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks.
📺 Where to Watch
📱 LIVE · REPLAYS
Follow live streams and replays on the official Olympic channels or online platforms to catch all the best moments from the ice hockey tournament.
🏁 Teams at a glance – 11 Feb 2026
- FINLAND – NHL stars: Rantanen, Aho, Heiskanen, Saros; flag bearer Mikko Lehtonen (only Beijing gold winner).
- SLOVAKIA – Underdog, core: Slafkovsky, Nemec, Fehervari; defensive structure.
- SWEDEN – Medal contender, all-NHL roster: Dahlin, Karlsson, Nylander, Landeskog, Pettersson, Zibanejad.
- ITALY – Home ice; upset weapon Damian Clara (NHL prospect, Anaheim Ducks).
⏱️ olympics · milano cortina 2026 · ice hockey men · group stage · 11 february
