Olympic Men’s Hockey Rivalry Resumes in Milan
MILAN — Nearly two decades after an iconic gold medal victory in Turin, the classic rivalry between Sweden and Finland resumes in Italy this Friday.
Many players on both teams can recall the exact moment when Nicklas Lidstrom scored a crucial goal, giving Sweden a 3-2 edge over Finland just seconds into the third period. That win marked Sweden’s second hockey gold medal, their first since 1994.
While Olympic glory isn’t at stake in this match at the Santa Giulia Arena, it’s anticipated to be one of the more competitive contests in this round-robin format.
Both teams were left wanting after their opening games, with Finland falling 4-1 to Slovakia and Sweden just managing to beat Italy 5-2.
As long-standing rivals, both nations are eager to improve their performances. The last time they faced off was in February during the Four Nations tournament, where Finland edged out a victory in overtime. Now, they meet again on the Olympic stage.
“There seems to always be an extra pressure to outdo each other in major tournaments,” noted Sweden’s Erik Karlsson after practice. “It’s been like this for years. The team that wins this match tends to find a lot of success.”
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Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, who was just 12 when Sweden last claimed gold, remembers watching the memorable 2006 match on two TVs at home—one broadcasting in Swedish and the other in Finnish. His mother, Ritva, hails from Partamo, Finland.
Although she will miss the game in Milan, she plans on tuning in. Zibanejad reassured that this doesn’t create a conflict for her.
“She’s cheering for me,” he assured. “No matter the team.”
Zibanejad and teammates acknowledged how deeply the history of this rivalry impacts the significance of Friday’s game.
“Everyone is aware of [2006],” remarked Sweden coach Sam Hallam. “They’ve watched all the clips, the goals, the dramatic moments. It’s a monumental match. Think of the ’95 World Championship in Finland—this is one of the defining games in Swedish hockey’s legacy.”
During Thursday’s practice, Team Sweden seemed to be contemplating a change in goalkeepers after Filip Gustafsson let in two goals on 22 shots. Devils goalie Jakob Markstrom took one net while Gustafsson and Jesper Wallstedt shared the other.
However, according to Finland’s TV4, Markstrom hinted that Gustafsson would start against Finland “by chance.”
Hallam, like many coaches, has kept his plans close to the chest. If he needs to adjust his goaltending strategy, it could impact not just this match but also the dynamic of the ongoing Sweden-Finland rivalry.
“We do have a plan,” Hallam said shortly after the team’s arrival in Milan. “You might start [Wednesday] against Finland, and if that necessitates a change, we’ll adapt. Unexpected things can happen—like a player waking up not quite right. We’re not set on playing three goalies through the round-robin.”
