Canada men’s hockey Olympic schedule: key dates as women’s Olympic scores roll in

The Olympic hockey spotlight swings sharply toward Canada this week as the men’s tournament in Milano Cortina nears its opening faceoff and the women’s event continues to stack early results. With Team Canada’s men set for three straight group games starting Feb. 12 and the women already deep into group play, the schedule is becoming the story: short turnarounds, tight travel windows, and little room for a slow start.

Saturday’s women’s Olympic scores underlined that urgency, featuring a dominant shutout by the United States and more lopsided results elsewhere as teams chase early separation in the standings.

Canada men’s hockey Olympic schedule: three group games, fast turnaround

Canada’s men open their Olympic campaign on Thursday, Feb. 12, then return the next day and again on Sunday, Feb. 15. All three are group-stage games, and all three matter because seeding can shape the knockout path immediately after preliminary play.

The tempo is classic Olympic hockey: win early, avoid unnecessary extra minutes, and keep your roster healthy for the single-elimination bracket.

Team Canada hockey times (ET)

Women’s Olympic scores: a shutout statement and more separation

Saturday’s slate delivered a clear headline: the United States blanked Finland 5–0, controlling the game from start to finish and running up the shot count in the process. Finland entered the matchup under a cloud after illness issues disrupted preparations earlier in the week, and the performance reflected a team still trying to find rhythm.

Elsewhere in women’s play, Germany beat Japan 5–2 and Sweden routed Italy 6–1, results that can swing goal differential quickly in an Olympic format where tiebreakers matter. Earlier group games also included Switzerland beating Czechia 4–3 in a shootout and Japan edging France 3–2, keeping the middle of the standings crowded even as a few top sides try to pull away.

Olympic women’s hockey schedule: Canada’s next steps

Canada’s women are in the thick of the group phase, and the coming days are a pressure cooker. Saturday’s game against Switzerland (3:10 p.m. ET) is followed by Czechia on Monday and the United States on Tuesday, a sequence that can define seeding before the medal rounds.

One scheduling wrinkle remains important: Canada’s originally listed opener against Finland was disrupted by illness-related issues earlier in the tournament. With rescheduling details not fully consistent across public listings, the most dependable guide is the next confirmed puck drops on the board—starting with Switzerland on Saturday afternoon.

PWHL teams: why the pro league keeps showing up in Olympic storylines

The professional women’s league has become a major feeder for Olympic rosters, and that’s showing up in how these Games are being covered: line combinations, chemistry, and familiarity are often built on club connections as much as national-team camps.

The current PWHL teams are:

• Boston Fleet

• Minnesota Frost

• Montréal Victoire

• New York Sirens

• Ottawa Charge

• Toronto Sceptres

• Seattle Torrent

• Vancouver Goldeneyes

That eight-team footprint means more Olympic players are coming in game-ready, with recent reps in high-leverage pro minutes—especially valuable in a tournament where a single bad period can change everything.

What to watch next: seeding math and momentum

For Canada’s men, the big test is managing pressure across three games in four days while keeping the roster fresh for knockout play. A strong start can buy flexibility; a stumble can force harder matchups immediately.

For Canada’s women, the tournament is already in “no freebies” territory. Saturday’s result against Switzerland shapes the runway into the Czechia and U.S. games, and the standings can tighten quickly when goal differential is in play.

Sources consulted: NHL.com, IIHF, PWHL, Reuters