Editor’s note: Follow Canada vs. Finland hockey live updates from the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The first men’s hockey semifinal on Friday, Feb. 20 features the defending Olympic champions against the defending champions of the NHL era at the Winter Games.
Finland won a gold medal in 2022 in Beijing. But Canada won in 2010 and 2014, the last times that the NHL sent its players to the Olympics before this year. Canada, using many of the same players at these Games, also won last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
Both Finland and Canada had to stage rallies in the quarterfinals to stay alive. The Finns trailed Switzerland by two goals in the third period but rallied and won in overtime. Canada overcame two one-goal deficits, including a goal on which Czechia had too many men on the ice. It also won in overtime.
Who will win the Canada-Finland semifinal and advance to the gold medal game? USA TODAY Network staffers weigh in:
Canada 4, Finland 2: Team Canada has great depth down the middle, even if Sidney Crosby is unable to play or is limited. Finland wasn’t able to slow down Canada’s Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid at the 4 Nations and the Finns are without Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov this time.
Canada 3, Finland 2: It feels like we are on a USA-Canada collision course after both squads claimed dramatic overtime victories in the quarterfinals. The Finns are a great squad, but the Canada lineup is one of the best we’ve ever seen — even if Sidney Crosby can’t go.
Canada 3, Finland 1: Canada is so deep, and showed just how much mental toughness there is on the team in never getting flustered when Czechia had the lead late in the third period of the quarterfinals. The Finns have had a very good tournament, from sticking it to Sweden in the preliminary round to rallying to win in OT against Switzerland in the quarterfinals, but can’t match Canada’s depth.
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