Team Canada is through to the final of the men's field hockey tournament after beating Finland 3-2. The second semi-final will be contested by the USA and Slovakia.
20.02.2026, 19:33
20.02.2026, 19:37
SDA
Finland made Switzerland in this thrilling first semi-final! The Finns took a 2-0 lead against the Canadians, which they held until the 51st minute. In the last nine minutes of the third period, Canada forced a turnaround: First, Shea Theodore hammered a long-range shot into the net to equalize the score at 2-2. And 35.2 seconds before the end, Nathan MacKinnon conjured up the 3:2 winning goal in the net in overtime.
The Finns, who had turned a 0:2 draw against Switzerland in the quarter-finals into a 3:2 win after extra time, were in trouble this time. When the Canadians tied the game at 2-2, the outstanding Finnish goalie Juuse Saros (36 saves) was obstructed by Brad Marchand. The Finns probably had the good sense to avoid a challenge on this goal because a Finnish defender (Erik Haula) pushed Marchand into the goalie.
Controversial scenes
The next controversial scene occurred in the 58th minute, when the (Canadian) referees rightly (but also very late) sent Finland's Niko Mikkola to the penalty bench for a stick foul. Two seconds before this two-minute penalty expired, MacKinnon scored the winning goal. And then there was the millimeter decision that this third Canadian goal was not preceded by an offside.
The fact that Nathan MacKinnon decided the game was certainly no coincidence. The 30-year-old star player from the Colorado Avalanche almost scored in the 58th minute. In this scene, goalie Saros managed to poke the puck around the post with two touches of the stick end.
Connor McDavid set a new record for the Canadians: McDavid (29) contributed assists against the Finns to make it 1-2 and 3-2. The Edmonton Oilers center forward now has 13 points before the gold medal game. No one has ever scored so many points at the Olympics. Previously, the Finns Teemu Selänne and Saku Koivu (both 2006) tied McDavid for the record with 11 points each.
Canada - Finland 3:2 (0:1, 1:1, 2:0)
Milan. - 11'510 spectators (sold out). - SR Furlatt/O'Rourke (CAN), Ankerstjerne/Daisy (DEN/USA). - Goals: 17. Rantanen (Aho/exclusion Bennett) 0:1. 24. Haula (Armia/exclusion Aho!) 0:2. 34. Reinhart (Makar, McDavid/exclusion Anton Lundell) 1:2. 60. (59:24) MacKinnon (McDavid, Celebrini/exclusion Mikkola) 3:2. - Penalties: 2 times 2 minutes against Canada, 4 times 2 minutes against Finland.
Canada: Binnington; Makar, Toews; Parayko, Harley; Doughty, Sanheim; Theodore; Wilson, McDavid, Celebrini; Jarvin, MacKinnon, Horvat; Stone, Marner, Suzuki; Hagel, Marchand, Bennett; Reinhart.
Finland: Saros; Heiskanen, Esa Lindell; Mikkola, Ristolainen; Matinpalo, Määtä; Jokiharju; Lehkonen, Rantanen, Aho; Granlund, Teravainen, Hintz; Luostarinen, Kakko, Anton Lundell; Halula, Kirivanta, Armia; Kapanen.
Remarks: Canada without Crosby (injured). - Shots on goal: Canada 39 (8-14-17); Finland 17 (8-3-6). - Powerplay output: Canada 2/4; Finland 1/2 (plus 1 shorthander scored).
