Four years prior, Juraj Slafkovsky scored Slovakia’s sole two goals during their inaugural men’s hockey match at the Beijing Olympics, a contest that ended in a decisive defeat against Finland.
Once more, Slafkovsky netted two goals in the opening game of the competition. However, on this occasion, Slovakia unexpectedly triumphed over Finland with a 4-1 victory on Wednesday, marking a sensational commencement to the first Olympics featuring NHL participants in over ten years.
“Winning feels significantly superior, a much more pleasant sensation,” Slafkovsky commented from Milan.
As Slafkovsky, the 2022 MVP, resumed his impressive Olympic form, and netminder Samuel Hlavaj successfully blocked 39 out of 40 attempts, Slovakia made a strong statement. They defeated a team widely considered a medal contender, signaling that they should not be underestimated, even with only seven NHL athletes compared to Finland’s nearly full roster of league players.
“We embody the type of team that few anticipate will secure many victories,” remarked alternate captain Martin Fehervary. “Our last win against Finland was a considerable time ago. I had a strong feeling that today was the moment, the opportune time, and we accomplished it.”
Juraj Slafkovsky contributed two scores and one assist, while goaltender Samuel Hlavaj executed 38 blocks, leading Slovakia to a 4-1 victory against Finland in the opening contest of the men’s Olympic hockey event in Milan, Italy.
Slafkovsky, currently a player for the Montreal Canadiens, registered the tournament’s inaugural goal within the first eight minutes, maneuvering past Finland’s defensive line and guiding the puck beyond the reach of Juuse Saros. Following Dalibor Dvorsky’s goal with 13 minutes remaining, which gave Slovakia the lead, Slafkovsky unleashed a powerful shot past Saros during a power play, celebrating with a fist pump towards the spectators.
“It seems the Olympic stage suits him perfectly,” remarked defenceman Erik Cernak. “He’s performing strongly in the Olympics. I am genuinely pleased for him. He’s also excelling in Montreal. Presently, he has brought that identical level of performance, that same comprehensive skill set.”
Hlavaj significantly contributed to the early underdog narrative on the rink, repelling continuous attacks as Slovakia faced an 18-5 shot deficit in the opening period and a 40-25 disadvantage throughout the game. Fehervary designated Hlavaj, a Minnesota Wild prospect active in the American Hockey League in Iowa, as Slovakia’s top performer.
“Frankly, I had not witnessed his play previously,” Cernak stated. “Yet, his performance was exceptional. He ensured our viability during crucial junctures.”
Finnish team considering goaltender substitution?
Though unable to observe directly as the U.S. squad under his management conducted nearby practice, Wild general manager Bill Guerin expressed that Hlavaj’s impressive commencement at the Olympics was “excellent”.
The outcome was less favorable for Saros, the primary goaltender for the Nashville Predators, who conceded three goals from 24 attempts during the loss. Finland’s subsequent match is against their long-standing rival, Sweden, on Friday, and it is conceivable that Kevin Lankinen from Vancouver might be selected to start, mirroring his role in substituting Saros during the 4 Nations Face-Off twelve months prior.
“It’s premature to make a definitive statement,” remarked Finland’s head coach Antti Pennanen. “I appreciated Juuse’s performance, and it proved to be a challenging contest for him, despite the relatively low number of shots faced.”
Eeli Tolvanen, another Olympian making a return appearance after competing in 2018, registered Finland’s singular goal. Adam Ruzicka then scored into an unguarded net, securing the victory for Slovakia and inflicting an unforeseen initial loss upon Finland.
“Clearly, this wasn’t the commencement we had hoped for,” stated captain Mikael Granlund. “However, indeed, we now have a fresh opportunity on Friday against Sweden. Yet, we are all aware that the most crucial matches are still to come. There is no need for alarm.”
Sweden defeats Italy 5-2
Swedish defenceman Victor Hedman expressed no astonishment regarding Finland’s loss to Slovakia, explaining that “this is the Olympic Games. We have witnessed numerous unexpected outcomes.”
Both he and his highly favored teammates experienced moments of peril where it seemed they might suffer an unprecedented upset against the host nation, Italy, before eventually securing the lead in the middle of the game and ultimately achieving a 5-2 victory.
“There are no effortless matches in competitions of this nature, and the disparity in skill is not what it was many years ago,” stated captain Gabriel Landeskog, who netted the equalizer after Sweden initially trailed due to Luca Frigo of Italy scoring within the first four minutes. “A slight degree of sluggishness, certain aspects requiring refinement, but such is anticipated. I believe it was unquestionably a vigorously contested game.”
Sweden triumphed over Italy 5-2 on Wednesday, with William Nylander scoring the decisive goal in the second period at Milano-Cortina 2026.
Upon Gustav Forsling’s score, which put Sweden ahead before the conclusion of the initial period, it appeared this goal would put an end to Italy’s underdog aspiration.
Nevertheless, the Italian players entered the intermission with the conviction that they could compete effectively against one of the globe’s premier teams, a belief they demonstrated early in the second period when Canadian recruit Matt Bradley re-equalized the score.
Sweden secured a lasting lead when William Nylander found the net late in the second period, and Italian goaltender Damian Clara departed mid-third period after experiencing a cramp in his right leg, having made 46 saves on 49 attempts. This incident prematurely concluded an exceptional display by the Anaheim Ducks prospect, who was selected in the second round of the 2023 draft.
“His performance was beyond belief,” remarked Dustin Gazley of Italy. “Had it not been for him, the final tally could have been significantly greater. That was his assigned role, and he fulfilled it for us, making his presence in goal, blocking shots, immensely valuable.”
Mika Zibanejad scored against reserve goaltender Davide Fadani, who had taken over for Clara, and Hedman’s empty-net goal confirmed the win. The entirely NHL-comprised Swedish team registered 60 shots compared to Italy’s 22.
“When you register 60 shots, you typically emerge victorious in such contests — and we accomplished that,” Hedman stated. “We were aware that Clara possessed immense talent. Anaheim is fortunate to have a prospect of his caliber. He performed incredibly and maintained their competitive edge. We might have approached the game with slightly more directness, but it felt characteristic of an inaugural match with accompanying jitters, regardless of the opponent.”
