We are one game into the 2026 Winter Olympics men’s hockey tournament and we already have an upset. Slovakia, with just seven players who appear on NHL rosters currently, defeated Finland 4-1 in a dramatic opening game in Milan.

Montreal Canadiens star Juraj Slafkovsky, the first ever Slovak to go No. 1 in the NHL draft, scored twice in the game and added an assist for an impressive three-point game to lead his home nation to one of its best results at the Olympics against a roster that features 24 of 25 players being full-time NHLers.

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Slafkovsky, who played in the last Winter Olympics and earned MVP honors during his spectacular draft season, now has nine career goals at the Olympics after his two-tally effort today. He is tied with NHL legend Jaromir Jagr for ninth in career goals since the 1998 Olympics, when NHL players first participated in the Winter Games.

Additionally, Slovakia was backstopped by Iowa Wild goalie Samuel Hlavaj, who made 39 saves in his Olympic debut amid a spectacular performance. Hlavaj has been Slovakia’s go-to goalie over the last few years, appearing in multiple Men’s World Championships, posting a .923 career mark at that tournament.

Finland, which is the defending gold medalist have won in Beijing without NHL players, now is on their back foot for the remainder of the preliminary round. They will likely be headed to the qualification round as only the top teams in each group earn a bye to the quarterfinals. That gives them an extra game to play as they try to make the medal games.

In addition to Slafkovsky’s onslaught, OHL and AHL alumnus Dalibor Dvorsky is credited with the game-winner after sneaking a shot through Jusse Saros to make it 2-1. Meanwhile, Adam Ruzicka was the beneficiary of Slafkovsky’s second effort without a stick to tuck home the empty-net goal that started the party early in both Milan and Bratislava with the 4-1 scoreline.

Slovakia won the bronze medal at the 2018 Olympics, marking a significant step forward for a hockey nation that has been on the rise. Their current roster features multiple top-10 picks from recent drafts including, Slafkovsky (No. 1 in 2022), Simon Nemec (No. 2 in 2022) and Dvorsky (No. 10 in 2023). Meanwhile, Hlavaj is a 24-year-old netminder who was undrafted but signed last year to an NHL deal by the Minnesota Wild. The club also has Chicago Blackhawks goalie prospect Adam Gajan, a second-round pick in 2023.

This was a statement opener for a Slovak team that has no plans of continuing to being overlooked.

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How To Watch 2026 Winter Olympic Hockey In US And Canada

Viewers in the United States can watch the 2026 Olympic Winter Games streaming live via Peacock and the NBCOlympics website. It is also available through your TV provider via NBC, USA Network, CNBC, and NBCSN.

Viewers in Canada can watch Milano Cortina 2026 via CBC through your TV provider or stream for free on the app or at CBCGem.ca.

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