USA Men's Hockey Team Faces Slovakia in Olympic Semifinal

The Americans seek a chance at the gold medal game after defeating Sweden in overtime.

Feb. 26, 2026 at 9:15pm

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The United States men's hockey team has advanced to the Olympic semifinal after a 2-1 overtime win over Sweden on Wednesday. They will now face Slovakia, who defeated Germany 6-2 in the quarterfinals. This matchup is a rematch of the 2022 Beijing Olympics quarterfinal, where Slovakia beat the USA in a penalty shootout. The winner of this semifinal will advance to the gold medal game.

Why it matters

The USA men's hockey team is looking to win its first Olympic gold medal since 1980. A win over Slovakia would put them one step closer to that goal and a chance to compete for the top prize. The rivalry between the two teams adds extra intrigue to the semifinal matchup.

The details

In their previous six Olympic meetings, the USA has won three games against Slovakia. The last time they faced off was at the 2022 Beijing Games, where Slovakia beat the USA in a penalty shootout after the game was tied 2-2 in regulation and overtime. Slovakia went on to win the bronze medal in Beijing, their best Olympic finish to date.

  • The USA defeated Sweden 2-1 in overtime on Wednesday to advance to the semifinal.
  • Slovakia defeated Germany 6-2 in the quarterfinals to reach the semifinal.
  • The USA vs. Slovakia semifinal will take place on Friday.

The players

Team USA

The United States men's hockey team, seeking its first Olympic gold medal since 1980.

Team Slovakia

The Slovak men's hockey team, who won the bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, their best finish to date.

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What they’re saying

“We must be ready for a tough battle against Slovakia. They have a talented team and will be hungry to avenge their loss to us in the past.”

— Patrick Kane, Forward, Team USA

“This is our chance to make history. We've come a long way since Beijing and we're determined to reach the gold medal game.”

— Zdeno Chara, Defenseman, Team Slovakia

What’s next

The winner of the USA vs. Slovakia semifinal will advance to the gold medal game on Sunday.

The takeaway

The USA men's hockey team has a chance to reach the Olympic gold medal game for the first time since 1980. A victory over Slovakia, a team they have had success against in the past, would put them one step closer to that goal and a potential rematch with Canada or Finland in the final.