mens hockey olympic schedule: U.S. Advances to Semifinals as Women's Gold Set for Feb. 19
Milano Cortina's hockey tournament shifts into high gear with confirmed playoff dates and standout results reshaping the men's draw. Team USA's defensive performance and Canada's late-game resiliency are the dominant themes as the field narrows toward medal games later this week.
Playoff schedule and confirmed matchups
The men's bracket now lists clear timings in Eastern Time: the U. S. men's quarterfinal clash with Sweden was contested on Feb. 18 at 3: 10 p. m. ET, and the tournament's gold medal final remains slated for Sunday, Feb. 22. Semifinal matchups are scheduled at Santagiulia Arena with the first game between Finland and Canada set for 10: 40 a. m. ET and the second semifinal, featuring the United States and Slovakia, set for 3: 10 p. m. ET.
On the women's side, the medal picture is settled: the United States women's team has secured a spot in the gold medal game and will face Canada on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 1: 10 p. m. ET. That matchup marks another chapter in a long-standing rivalry as the two nations meet for the top prize.
Key developments from the quarterfinals
Two concrete developments from the quarterfinal round dramatically influenced the mens hockey olympic schedule. First, the United States advanced past Sweden in a tight 2-1 overtime victory, a result that underscored the U. S. tournament identity — suffocating, low-event defense that relies on structure and opportunistic scoring. That win punched the U. S. ticket to a semifinal against Slovakia at 3: 10 p. m. ET.
Second, Canada rallied past Czechia in a 4-3 overtime comeback, overturning a late Czech lead with a resilient push that forced extra time. That victory set up Canada's semifinal meeting with Finland at 10: 40 a. m. ET and reinforced Canada's reputation for late-game resilience in knockout situations.
Storylines to watch as medals approach
Defensive structure and veteran poise will be decisive. The U. S. has leaned on a ‘prevent’-style approach in crucial moments, limiting high-danger chances and waiting for tidy passing sequences or set-piece opportunities to break through. That strategy produced the overtime winner against Sweden and gives the Americans a realistic path to the final, particularly if goaltending remains sharp.
Canada's pathway has been defined by depth and the ability to erase deficits late in games. The comeback versus Czechia highlighted special teams impact and clutch finishing, qualities that often carry teams into medal games at this level.
Slovakia represents one of the tournament's surprise stories: a compact roster with strong skating and national momentum that can trouble more heralded opponents. Finland, meanwhile, enters with consistent two-way play and a balanced attack, making the Finland–Canada semifinal a matchup of top-end talent versus tenacity.
With the men's gold medal game set for Feb. 22 and the women's gold locked in for Feb. 19, attention now turns to semifinal execution. Expect tight defensive schemes, strategic coaching adjustments, and special-teams performance to tilt who advances. The coming days will determine whether the United States' defense can carry them to the final and whether Canada can maintain its late-game form to reach another gold-medal showdown.
