MILAN — On Wednesday, Canadian general manager Doug Armstrong managed to dodge a near car accident, while his team celebrated a 4-3 overtime victory against the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, NBC captured Team USA GM Bill Guerin looking quite unwell during a tense overtime against Sweden.
But they pulled it off.
Now, the anticipation builds—what’s next for Slovakia and Team USA as they prepare for an unexpected semifinal showdown this Friday? The game is set for prime time in Italy, 3:10 p.m. on the East Coast.
“We play the sport we love, right?” asked Dalibor Dvorski, a 20-year-old standout from the St. Louis Blues, commenting on Slovakia’s solid 6-2 quarterfinal victory over Germany. “We’re supposed to have fun playing and we are, so it’s great.” A refreshing sentiment, honestly.
Surprisingly, Slovakia enters the semifinal without the burden of pressure. Initially, their aim in Milan was simply to reach the quarterfinals, and here they are, flying high. Despite not having the most accomplished roster, they possess some NHL talent, including the promising July Slavkowski, who is making waves. They at least have a shot at matching their bronze medal from 2022, though it’s clear they’ll face a tough battle against the likes of Team USA or Canada.
“Probably 100 times better,” Slavkowski remarked about their performance compared to 2022. “We have the best players here and managed to reach the semifinals. It means a lot to me, to our country, and to all our supporters.” You can sense the pride there.
On the ice, Slovakia has shown impressive teamwork, often outmaneuvering more talented teams like Finland, which they defeated earlier, and sending Sweden packing after an early exit on Wednesday night.
As for Slavkowski, the 2022 No. 1 overall pick and player for the Montreal Canadiens, he’s shone brightly with seven points in four games. Ironically, he was limited to just one assist against Germany. It just goes to show, even without the spotlight, every player contributes to something significant.
“I think this is really big for our team,” said Capitals’ defenseman Martin Fehevary. “It’s not just one line. We felt like all of our lines were capable of scoring. Today was proof of that. We have to keep this momentum going.”
2026 Winter Olympics
It’s clear, Slovakia is a considerable underdog going into Friday’s matchup against Team USA. They’ve defied expectations already, pulling off unexpected victories against Finland during the group stage. So, where does that leave them?
“We’re in the Olympics, and everyone looks ready to go,” said Lightning defenseman Eric Cernak. “Every game, we play like a team, like a family.” Pretty inspiring, really.
