Thursday marked the second day of men’s ice hockey action at Milano Cortina 2026, with a full slate of four group-stage games that began to shape the early storylines of the tournament. Switzerland faced France, the Czech Republic took on Canada, Latvia met the United States, and Germany squared off against Denmark. For some teams, it was about making a statement in their tournament opener, while others were already hunting for early upsets. By the end of the day, shutouts, strong second periods, and disciplined team play defined the action.
Switzerland and France opened Group A play with both teams skating in their first game of the tournament. Switzerland wasted little time asserting control, striking on an early power play and quickly building a 2-0 lead within the opening minutes. France struggled to keep pace, spending much of the night defending and taking penalties. Despite a flurry of special teams chances on both sides, Switzerland maintained its two-goal cushion through forty minutes before pulling away in the third period. Late goals sealed a convincing 4-0 shutout victory for the Swiss, who outshot France 43–27 and limited them to no goals on four power play opportunities. While Switzerland earned the win, the matchup offered little resistance, leaving questions about how they will fare against stronger competition. France, meanwhile, looked overmatched and will be searching for positives as the tournament continues.
Canada followed with a dominant Group A performance against the Czech Republic in a game that started quietly but quickly tilted in Canada’s favor. After a scoreless opening stretch, Canada struck late in the first period to take the lead and never looked back. Two goals in the second period and another pair in the third allowed Canada to cruise to a 5-0 victory, the second straight shutout of the day. The Canadians controlled play at even strength, capitalized on the power play, and limited the Czech Republic’s offensive chances. It was the statement that Canada was hoping for to open the tournament, though tougher tests still lie ahead. The Czech Republic, shut out in their opener, will be looking to regroup and find their scoring touch in their next game.
In Group C action, Latvia and the United States delivered a competitive opening period before the Americans pulled away. The United States opened the scoring early, but Latvia responded quickly to tie the game and keep pace through the first intermission. The turning point came in the second period, as the U.S. found its rhythm offensively and began to wear Latvia down with sustained pressure. Power play goals and strong five-on-five play pushed the Americans ahead, and they carried a 4-1 lead into the third period. An early power play goal in the final frame put the game out of reach, and the United States skated away with a 5-1 win. Despite an early slow start and some frustration, the Americans showed composure and depth, outshooting Latvia 38-18 and asserting control as the game progressed.
The day concluded with Germany and Denmark battling in a closely contested Group C matchup. Germany struck just seconds into the game, but Denmark responded later in the first period to tie things up. The game turned in the second period when Germany retook the lead and capitalized on a power play to extend the margin to 3-1. Despite being outshot 38-26, Germany played efficiently and defensively sound hockey, shutting the door in a penalty-free third period to secure the win. Denmark pushed but could not find a way past Germany’s structure and goaltending, falling short of the upset they were chasing.
Looking ahead to Friday, the tournament schedule features several intriguing matchups. Finland and Sweden renew one of hockey’s fiercest rivalries, while host nation Italy faces Slovakia in a game with early momentum on the line. France meets the Czech Republic in a matchup where both teams are searching for their first goal and first win of the tournament. The day wraps up with a highly anticipated showdown between Canada and Switzerland, a game that will test whether Switzerland can hang with the tournament favorites. As the group stage continues, teams like Sweden, Slovakia, Canada, and Switzerland will aim to stay unbeaten, while Finland, Italy, France, and the Czech Republic look to get on the board and build confidence heading deeper into Milano Cortina 2026.
Zac Electrifly 
Leave a comment