The preliminary round is over. It’s time to play for a medal in women’s hockey at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.

Welcome to a Valentine’s Day edition of Olympic hockey predictions here at Last Word On Hockey, where we have been covering the men’s ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics each day throughout the preliminary round and beyond.

Canucks' Kevin Lankinen and Finland lost 4-1 to Slovakia, while Elias Pettersson and Sweden won 5-2 against Italy in their first games of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Slovakia opened the 2026 Winter Olympics with a decisive 4–1 victory over defending champion Finland, powered by two goals from Juraj Slafkovský and a 38-save performance from Samuel Hlavaj.

Follow our live coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics. As the Milan Cortina Olympics enter their second weekend, few athletes will have the luxury of a day off. With such a packed lineup, dedicated viewers are in a similar boat (or bobsleigh, if you will).

MILAN — The Swedes are in trouble. Just two days after needing a third-period rally to beat Italy, Tre Kroner lost convincingly to its archrival Finland on Friday, 4-1, in a performance that ought to raise alarm bells for the 2006 gold medalists.

MILAN (AP) — As top-seeded Team USA practiced a day before its quarterfinal matchup against host Italy, the Canadians were on the nearby main rink reminding everyone it might not be time to count them out of the women’s hockey Olympic tournament just yet.

Get the best Finland vs. Sweden predictions ahead of Friday's round-robin matchup in Milano. Free Olympic hockey picks for February 13.

Slovakia’s men’s national hockey team has featured consistent rosters through the years. The team has featured players such as Miroslav Satan, Peter Bondra, Zigmund Palffy, Marian Gaborik, Zdeno Chara,

A pivotal Group A matchup is set for Sunday night in Milan, as Czechia prepares to take on Finland in women’s ice hockey action at the 2026 Winter Olympics.