Wednesday’s quarter-final decided the composition of the semi-final pairs of the hockey tournament at the Winter Olympic Games in Italy. Slovakia will face the United States, Canada will face Finland in the second semi-final.
The last to make it to the semi-finals was the United States, which eliminated Sweden in the evening match. The Americans led 1-0 from the middle of the second period, the Swedes equalized thanks to Mika Zibanejad a minute and a half before the end of the third period. Quinn Hughes scored the winning goal in overtime.
Their semi-final opponent, Slovakia, defeated Germany 6-2 in the quarter-finals. In Milan, they will be aiming for their second five-ring medal in individual history, after the four-year-old bronze in Beijing. The Slovaks already led 4:0 in the middle of the match. Pavol Regenda scored three points for two goals and an assist.
The defending champions, the Finns, became the third semi-finalists of the Olympic tournament in Milan, who after a great turnaround defeated the Swiss 3:2 in overtime. Finland was already losing 0:2 in the first period, but managed to equalize the match without a goalkeeper one minute and 12 seconds before the end. Artturi Lehkonen scored the goal for the Finns in extra time.
The Czechs were also close to progressing to the semi-finals in a match against favored Canada. Four minutes before the end, they led 3:2 after goals from Lukáš Sedlák, David Pastrňák and Ondřej Palát. At 56:33, however, Canadian forward Nick Suzuki equalized and sent the match into overtime. In it, Mitch Marner decided the progress of the Canadians with his goal.
