Four Down, Two to Go: The Olympic Semifinals Are Set and They're Perfect

Wednesday delivered everything. Four quarterfinals, four different stories, and a semifinal bracket that hockey couldn’t have drawn up any better. Canada, Finland, the United States, and Slovakia are the last four teams standing at Milano Cortina 2026, and two of those results were a hell of a lot closer than anyone expected.

Let’s recap what happened and get into what’s coming Friday.

Slovakia 6-2 Germany: The Cinderella Is Built Different

I’ve been high on Slovakia all tournament, and Wednesday was the most emphatic proof yet that this team isn’t an accident. Six goals. Six. Against a German squad that beat Denmark and France in qualifying and pushed the United States to 5-1 in group play. Slovakia didn’t just win — they dominated.

Juraj Slafkovský was once again at the center of it, and Samuel Hlavaj has been the tournament’s best kept goaltending secret. This team has belief, depth, and the kind of momentum that’s nearly impossible to stop in a single-elimination format. Going into Friday as the underdog against the United States? Good. Slovakia has thrived in that role all week.

Canada 4-3 Czechia: The Reminder That Hockey Isn’t Math

After rolling through the group stage 20 goals to three, Canada looked mortal against Czechia. The Czechs pushed back hard. It was 4-3. Connor McDavid and company got their win, but it was a grind, not a coronation.

That’s actually fine. You don’t want your team to sleepwalk into a semifinal. Canada was forced to work, forced to battle in tight moments, and they found a way to come through. That’s a different kind of confidence builder than going 5-0. A team that only knows how to win easy games finds out the hard way when the games stop being easy. Canada knows they can win ugly now too.

Finland 3-2 Switzerland: Defending Champions Do What Defending Champions Do

Finland were never flashy this tournament. They don’t need to be. Switzerland pushed them hard — 3-2 is a one-goal game — but Juuse Saros made the saves that mattered, and Finland’s penalty kill was exceptional when it had to be. Aleksander Barkov and Sebastian Aho are experienced enough to know how to close out close games. Finland doesn’t panic. That’s what Beijing 2022 gave them.

USA 2-1 Sweden: The Tightest Game of the Day

This was the quarterfinal that delivered the fewest goals and the most tension. Sweden came in angry — remember, they were stuck in the qualification round after a tiebreaker heartbreak — and they played like it. The Americans escaped with a 2-1 win, but Auston Matthews and the rest of the leadership group will know they were in a fight.

The bright side for Team USA? They showed they can win a tight defensive game. Through the group stage it was all offence, 16 goals in three games. But gold medals aren’t won in the group stage. Winning 2-1 when Sweden is throwing everything at you? That’s a different skill set, and the Americans just proved they have it.

The Semifinals

Canada vs. Finland — Friday, 10:40 AM ET

This is the game. Defending Olympic champions against the heavy tournament favorites. Finland beat Canada 4-1 in the group stage — that was a different tournament, a different era, but don’t think for a second that the Finnish players have forgotten it.

Canada has the most dangerous offence. McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon — the depth is unfair. But Finland is the most disciplined team left and Saros has been elite. If Finland can slow Canada’s transition game and stay out of the penalty box, this is genuinely a coin flip.

The last time Canada met the defending Olympic champion Finland team in a meaningful setting, Finland won. Canada will have that in the back of their minds. Or maybe it lights a fire.

United States vs. Slovakia — Friday, 3:10 PM ET

This is the subplot everyone should be watching. The United States is talented enough to be the favorite for gold. Slovakia is a team with nothing to lose that just put up six goals on Germany. These are the most dangerous four words in tournament hockey: nothing to lose.

Can Slafkovský and Hlavaj do it again? Can Slovakia carry this magical run two more games? The hockey world is asking. The Americans will be asking themselves the same question in the warmup, and if they don’t take Slovakia seriously, the Cinderella story gets another chapter.

The Big Picture

Two games. Four teams. Canada, Finland, United States, Slovakia. One of them is going to be Olympic champion on Sunday.

Gold isn’t decided Friday, but it could be effectively lost. This is the round that matters.

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Who’s your semifinal pick? Canada-Finland for the gold medal final, or does Slovakia have another upset in them? Tell me where you’re at — I want to know.