Olympic Hockey Semifinals Set After OT Drama
Canada advanced to the Olympic men's hockey semifinals with a 3-2 overtime victory over Czechia, while Finland also required overtime to beat Switzerland 2-1. Canada enters their semifinal as -6 favorites with the USA favored by 8 points in their matchup. Multiple games have featured tight betting lines due to the competitive parity at the Olympic level.
- The other semifinal will feature the United States against Slovakia; the U.S. advanced with a 2-1 overtime win against Sweden on a goal by Quinn Hughes, while Slovakia beat Germany 6-2. - Canada's victory came after they trailed Czechia 3-2 late in the third period, with Nick Suzuki scoring the tying goal with just 3:27 left in regulation before Mitch Marner won it in overtime. - Finland also mounted a comeback, trailing Switzerland 2-0 in the third period before goals from Sebastian Aho and Miro Heiskanen forced the extra period, where Artturi Lehkonen scored the winner. - The semifinal matchup between the USA and Slovakia is a rematch of the 2022 Olympic quarterfinals, where Slovakia stunned the Americans with a 3-2 shootout victory. - Team Canada may be without captain Sidney Crosby for the semifinal, after he left the quarterfinal game in the second period with a lower-body injury. - Finland enters the semifinals as the defending Olympic champion, having won its first-ever gold medal in men's hockey in 2022. - Slovakia, the 2022 bronze medalists, were led in their quarterfinal win by two goals from Pavol Regenda and a three-point game from Dalibor Dvorsky. - The day's drama marked the first time in Olympic history with NHL players that three of the four men's quarterfinal games were decided in overtime.
