Slovakia Stuns Germany, Advances to Olympic Semifinals

MILAN — Team Slovakia is one win away from a medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, defeating Germany 6-2 in the quarterfinal round of the men’s hockey tournament on Wednesday. The victory, fueled by a remarkable response after a hit on star forward Juraj Slafkovský, sets up a semifinal matchup against the United States on Friday.

Slafkovský Incident Sparks Slovakian Response

The game took a concerning turn when Slovakia’s Juraj Slafkovský collided with Germany’s Fabio Wagner during the second period, crashing awkwardly into the boards. Slafkovský briefly lay face down on the ice before returning to the bench with a neck injury. Although, the team rallied immediately following the incident.

“Thankfully he was all right,” Slovakia captain Tomas Tatar said. “We continued. We scored the goal. That spirit [shows]. It’s great. We wanted to stay concentrated. We didn’t want to get shaken up by hits. We wanted to be focused and I think we were.”

Two Goals in 33 Seconds Seal the Deal

Milos Kelemen scored at 4:01 of the second period, giving Slovakia a 2-0 lead. Just 33 seconds later, Oliver Okuliar extended the lead to 3-0, effectively breaking the game open. Slovakia ultimately cruised to a 6-2 victory.

A Team Effort

While Slafkovský has been a key player for Slovakia throughout the tournament, this victory was a total team effort. San Jose Sharks rookie Pavol Regenda had two goals and an assist, and Dalibor Dvorský added a goal and an assist. Slovakia’s goaltender, Samuel Hlavaj, has been a standout performer, posting a .932 save percentage in three starts despite struggling in the American Hockey League this season.

Slovakia’s Unexpected Run

Slovakia is the defending Olympic bronze medalist from the 2022 Beijing Games, but that tournament was played without fans and NHL players. This year’s performance represents a significant step forward for a young team that is exceeding expectations.

“Coming into the tournament, seeing the roster, I don’t think anybody believed us,” Regenda said. “And probably neither did we. … In a tournament like this, underdogs can bite really hard, so we are really happy where we are right now. Top four, unbelievable.”

Semifinal Matchup

Slovakia will face the United States in the semifinals on Friday at 3:10 p.m. ET, with the game broadcast on Peacock, NBC, ICI Tele, CBC Gem, CBC, TSN, and RDS2. A win would put them in contention for the gold medal.