Welcome to Last Word On Hockey’s 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics men’s ice hockey Predictions. Each day, our writers here look at the games and give in-depth analysis.

While Norway rules the 2026 medal table, its hockey teams are at home — a stark difference from its Nordic neighbors Sweden and Finland.

Nico Hischier had a goal and two assists to help Team Switzerland advance to the quarterfinals of the men's hockey tournament at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 with a 3-0 win against Team Italy at Rho Arena on Tuesday.

Rasmus Dahlin scored a power-play goal and Gustavsson made 20 saves for Sweden (1-0-1-0), which lost a preliminary round game involving NHL players for the first time in eight outings, dating to a 3-0 loss to Slovakia in Turin 20 years ago. Sweden defeated Finland in the gold-medal game a week later.

MILAN (AP) — Finland defender Jenni Hiirikoski’s fifth and potentially final Olympic Games are over due to an upper-body injury that will require surgery, the Finnish Ice Hockey Association announced on Saturday.

Slovakia opened the 2026 Winter Olympics with a decisive 4–1 victory over defending champion Finland, powered by two goals from Juraj Slafkovský and a 38-save performance from Samuel Hlavaj.

Try this on for size: Between Finland and Sweden, the two combined for 100 shots in their opening games of the 2026 Winter Olympics preliminary round. One lost, 4-1, and the other failed to cover its 5.

Finland’s national women’s hockey team canceled practice due to a stomach illness affecting at least four players, a team spokesman confirmed to The Associated Press.

As the quarterfinals take shape in Wednesday’s Olympic hockey competition. one of the biggest stories to date is the fact that Slovakia are Group B champions. By winning Group B, Slovakia does not have to compete in Tuesday’s qualification round.

An unwanted issue rocks the Finnish ski team at the 2026 Olympic games in Milan.