The men’s tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics began on Wednesday, and we saw a dominant performance from Slovakia, which defeated Finland 4-1 in Group B. One Montreal Canadien Player played a huge role in Slovakia’s win.
Despite getting outshot 40-25, Slovak goalie Samuel Hlavaj stopped 39 shots to secure the win. But it was an early goal from that Montreal player, which set the tone for the game.
Canadiens Forward Juraj Slafkovsky Leads Slovakia Past Finland With Two Goals in Winter Olympics Debut Game
Juraj Slafkovsky helped Slovakia defeat Finland, and he scored the first goal after intercepting a clearing pass and moving straight toward the net. He later added another goal and an assist to finish with three points. The performance placed him at the center of Slovakia’s early success in Milan.
NHL insider Pierre LeBrun posted on X, “FINAL from Milano Santaguilia Ice Hockey Arena: Slovakia 4, Finland 1… Habs star Juraj Slafkovsky puts on a show with two goals and an assist.”
The post also praised goaltender Samuel Hlavaj and described strong support from Slovak fans in the arena. Slovakia entered the game as the underdog against a Finland roster filled with NHL players. The result changed early tournament expectations and gave Slovakia confidence before its next matchup on Friday.
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Slafkovsky already built a strong Olympic resume before this event, including tournament MVP honours at the 2022 Games in Beijing. He scored seven goals in seven games at age 17 and helped Slovakia win a bronze medal.
Slafkovsky’s two-goal effort in Milan pushed his Olympic total to nine goals by age 21. That total places him among a short list of players who reached early success in Olympic men’s hockey.
Slovakia’s roster includes only seven NHL forwards and defensemen, which increases the importance of Slafkovsky’s role. Finland’s lineup includes almost all NHL players, with only Mikko Lehtonen playing outside the league.
Despite the experience gap, Slovakia controlled the game from the opening period. The team now prepares for its next Olympic test against the host Italy.
Slafkovsky’s international play comes during a strong season with Montreal, where he has 21 goals and 24 assists in 57 games. He averages over 18 minutes per game and contributes on the power play with 10 goals.
Montreal holds a 32-17-8 record entering the Olympic break and returns on Feb. 26 against the New York Islanders.
