Slovakia Stuns Finland in Olympic Hockey Opener with Slafkovsky's Heroics
In a stunning start to the men's hockey tournament at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, Slovakia pulled off a major upset by defeating Finland 4-1 on Wednesday. This victory marks a significant turnaround from four years ago in Beijing, where Slovakia lost convincingly to Finland, with Juraj Slafkovsky scoring their only two goals in that game.
Slafkovsky's Olympic Dominance Continues
Juraj Slafkovsky, the Most Valuable Player from the 2022 Olympics, once again proved his mettle on the international stage. He scored twice in this tournament opener, bringing his Olympic goal tally to four over two Games. Slafkovsky, who now plays for the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL, opened the scoring less than eight minutes into the game. He skillfully skated through Finland's defense and slid the puck past goaltender Juuse Saros. Later, on a power play, he wired another shot past Saros, celebrating with a fist pump to the crowd.
"This is way better—a way better feeling to win," Slafkovsky said after the game, highlighting the improved outcome compared to 2022. His performance was praised by teammates, including defenseman Erik Cernak, who noted, "I guess the Olympics are fitting to him. He's playing well at the Olympics. I'm really happy for him. He's playing well in Montreal. Now, he brought the same play, same everything."
Goaltending Excellence and Team Resilience
Slovakia's victory was not solely due to Slafkovsky's scoring. Goaltender Samuel Hlavaj played a crucial role, stopping 39 of the 40 shots he faced. Despite being outshot 18-5 in the first period and 40-25 overall, Hlavaj's outstanding saves kept Slovakia in the game. Alternate captain Martin Fehervary called Hlavaj, a Minnesota Wild prospect currently playing in the American Hockey League, Slovakia's best player.
"To be honest, I've never seen him play before," Cernak admitted. "But he was outstanding. He kept us in it in important moments." Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin, who was unable to watch the game while his U.S. team practiced nearby, commented, "It's great" that Hlavaj started so strongly at the Olympics.
Finland's Unexpected Defeat and Future Prospects
For Finland, a medal favorite with nearly all its players from the NHL, this loss was a surprising setback. Juuse Saros, the Nashville Predators starter, allowed three goals on 24 shots. Finland's only goal came from Eeli Tolvanen, a returning Olympian from 2018. Captain Mikael Granlund acknowledged the poor start, saying, "Obviously, it wasn't the start we wanted. But yep, now we have another chance Friday against Sweden. But we all know the most important games are ahead of us. No panic."
Finland coach Antti Pennanen was non-committal about future goaltending decisions, noting, "It's too early to say. I like how Juuse played, and it wasn't an easy game for him because not that many shots." Finland next faces archrival Sweden on Friday, with Vancouver's Kevin Lankinen potentially getting the nod in net, similar to his role in the 4 Nations Face-Off a year ago.
Slovakia's Underdog Triumph
Slovakia, with only seven NHL players compared to Finland's roster of mostly league players, entered the game as underdogs. Martin Fehervary expressed the team's mindset, stating, "We are kind of that team no one's really expecting us to win much of the games. We haven't won against Finland for a long, long time. I felt like this is the day. I felt like this is the time, and we did it."
Dalibor Dvorsky scored to put Slovakia ahead with 13 minutes left, and Adam Ruzicka sealed the victory with an empty-net goal. This win serves as a strong statement for Slovakia in the first Olympics with NHL players in over a decade, proving they should not be underestimated.
In other Day 1 action, Sweden faced host Italy in the nightcap, setting the stage for more exciting hockey matches in the tournament.
