Canada and Finland face off in Olympics men's hockey semifinals

The No. 1 seed takes on the defending gold medalists in a highly anticipated matchup

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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The semifinals of the Olympic men's ice hockey tournament get underway on February 20th with a matchup between the No. 1 seed, Canada, and the defending gold medalists from 2022, Finland. Both teams advanced from the quarterfinals into today's semifinal with overtime wins, though neither 3-on-3 overtime lasted more than three minutes. There is still concern that Canada's captain, Sidney Crosby, will not be available for today's game due to a lower-body injury sustained during the quarterfinals.

Why it matters

This highly anticipated semifinal matchup features two of the top men's hockey teams in the world. Canada is the No. 1 seed and the favorite, but Finland is the defending gold medalist and will be looking to defend their title. The winner of this game will advance to the gold medal game on Sunday.

The details

Canada defeated Czechia 4-3 in overtime to advance to the semifinals, while Finland defeated Switzerland 3-2 in overtime. Canada's captain Sidney Crosby is dealing with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day, with his status for the semifinal game still uncertain. If Crosby is unable to play, Canada will have to name a new captain for the game.

  • The Canada vs. Finland semifinal is scheduled to start at 10:40 a.m. ET on February 20, 2026.
  • The 2026 Winter Olympics will end with the closing ceremony on February 22 at 2:30 p.m. ET.

The players

Canada

The No. 1 seed in the Olympic men's hockey tournament, featuring a roster of NHL stars including Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon.

Finland

The defending gold medalists from the 2022 Winter Olympics, led by a talented roster of NHL players such as Mikko Rantanen, Sebastian Aho, and Kaapo Kakko.

Sidney Crosby

The captain of the Canadian men's hockey team, who is dealing with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day for the semifinal game.

Jon Cooper

The head coach of the Canadian men's hockey team.

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What they’re saying

“'Sid is by no means ruled out of the tournament. We've got the best of the best looking at him. ... We're taking this day by day. And we're not going to put anyone in harm's way. But if he can play, he's definitely going to. We'll know more in again in 24 hours.'”

— Jon Cooper, Head Coach, Canadian Men's Hockey Team (New York Post)

What’s next

The winner of the Canada vs. Finland semifinal will advance to the gold medal game on Sunday, February 22nd. The loser will play in the bronze medal game.

The takeaway

This semifinal matchup between the No. 1 seed Canada and the defending gold medalist Finland promises to be an exciting and highly competitive game, with the winner advancing to the gold medal game and the loser playing for bronze. The status of Canada's captain Sidney Crosby will be a key storyline to follow leading up to the game.