MILAN (AP) — Fans, try to keep up: Sometimes the hockey tournament at the Olympics isn’t just win and move on. Slovakia was all smiles after losing 5-3 to Sweden on Saturday. That is because Dalibor Dvorsky scored with 39 seconds left to make it a two-goal margin instead of three and it also gave Slovakia the tiebreaker it needed to win the group and advance automatically to the quarterfinals.

Slovakia is upsetting the power dynamics at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. It was expected that the Slovaks, who are in a group with Finland and Sweden, would f

The Swedes won the game 5-3, thanks in part to two goals from Elias Pettersson and a goal and two assists from Lucas Raymond. Jacob Markstrom made 29 saves for Sweden (2-0-0-1) in

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.

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

As men's hockey got underway at the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina on Wednesday, the Washington Capitals watched Martin Fehervary make his Olympic debut with Slovakia.

Slovakia went 1-2 in group play but beat Germany 4-0 in the qualification round to advance to the quarterfinals, where they played the United States, coached by former Sharks bench boss David Quinn. Regenda assisted on a first-period goal by Slafkovsky before Slovakia scored late in the third period to tie the game.

Juraj Slafkovsky of Slovakia managed to etch his name into history despite a loss to Sweden at the Winter Olympics in Milan.

Sweden and Slovakia face off in this Group B men's ice hockey matchup during the 2026 Winter Olympics on Saturday.