Ice Hockey Upsets: Finland, Germany Surprise

Finland finds form

Finland recovers from opening loss to secure quarterfinal spot, while Sweden struggles and faces Latvia playoff.

The tournament's format had teams relying on goal difference to determine playoff matchups...

Finland secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the men's ice hockey competition at the 2026 Olympic Games with an impressive 11-0 win over Italy. This dominant performance, combined with other results, ensured Finland's place in the last eight.

Meanwhile, Sweden faces a playoff against Latvia to reach the quarterfinals, while Slovakia topped Group B due to a late consolation goal against Sweden, edging out Finland and Sweden on goal difference.

The tournament's format had teams relying on goal difference to determine playoff matchups. Defending champions Finland secured a quarterfinal spot with a big win over Italy, while Sweden's six points landed them seventh and set up a playoff clash with Latvia.

Quarter-finals: Secured!🇫🇮✅ #Olympics #IIHF @leijonat pic.twitter.com/NzVhNsikIH

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) February 15, 2026

Sweden's NHL-packed roster hasn't quite lived up to expectations, with struggles against Italy and a 4-1 loss to Finland. Meanwhile, Latvia finished last in Group C after Denmark's late empty-net goal secured a 4-2 win. Sweden now faces Latvia in a playoff qualifier to reach the quarterfinals.

Sweden takes on Latvia, with the winner advancing to face the USA in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Canada awaits the winner of the Czech Republic vs Denmark matchup.

Switzerland's second-place finish in Group A, thanks to an overtime win over the Czechs, secured them fifth place overall. They'll now face hosts Italy, who finished last in their group. The winner of that matchup will move on to face Finland in the quarterfinals.

Finland's strong comeback in the group stage secured them a spot in the quarterfinals. Despite losing 4-1 to Slovakia in their opener, they bounced back with wins against Sweden and Italy, including an impressive 11-0 thrashing of the hosts.

Germany, with three points, finished second in Group C and will face France in the playoffs, with the winner meeting Slovakia, the bronze medallists from 2022.

Men's Qualification Playoffs

Tuesday 17th February (all times CET)

Germany vs France (12:10)

Switzerland vs Italy (12:10)

Czech Republic vs Denmark (16:40)

Sweden vs Latvia (21:10)

Final #Olympics preliminary round standings.👀 #IIHF pic.twitter.com/LAzK3TzS9H

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) February 15, 2026

Canada vs USA: A Potential Olympic Ice Hockey Showdown

A thrilling final between Canada and the United States is still a possibility after the group stage of the men's Olympic ice hockey tournament. Both teams finished undefeated in their respective groups, with Canada securing the top seed and the US claiming the second spot. The teams are on opposite sides of the bracket, making a meeting before the gold medal game impossible unless there's an upset.

The return of NHL players to the Olympics after a 12-year absence had fans expecting a thrilling gold medal matchup between North American rivals Canada and the USA, and they didn't disappoint, topping their respective groups.

Canada secured the number one seed, while the USA claimed the second spot, setting up a potential showdown in the gold medal game. Since they're on opposite sides of the bracket, the only way they can meet before the final is if there's an upset.

Canada and the US dominated their respective groups, finishing with perfect records. Canada's impressive 10-2 win over France gave them a better goal difference, securing the top spot. Slovakia and Finland also made it to the quarterfinals.

The top team from each group, plus the best overall team, automatically advanced to the quarterfinals. The remaining teams will play a single-elimination playoff to determine the final quarterfinal spots.