Winter Games Hockey Playoffs: Matchups & Key Insights

The upcoming playoff round of the Winter Games hockey tournament features four matchups.

Switzerland vs. Italy (6:10 a.m. ET)

Team Switzerland enters the playoffs with a 1-1-1-0 record, having secured second place in Group A. The team achieved an overtime victory against Czechia with a score of 4-3 in their last preliminary game.

Defenseman J.J. Moser (Tampa Bay Lightning) has accumulated four points (one goal, three assists) in three games, marking the highest point total for a Swiss defenseman in a tournament featuring NHL players.

Team Italy, on the other hand, finished fourth in Group B with a 0-0-3-0 preliminary round record, struggling to find a win. This contest marks the second instance of Switzerland and Italy competing in Winter Games with NHL players; their first encounter resulted in a 3-3 tie during the 2006 Torino Olympics.

Germany vs. France (6:10 a.m. ET)

Team Germany, holding a 1-0-2-0 record and second place in Group C, experienced two consecutive losses in the preliminary round: 4-3 to Latvia and 5-1 to USA. Forward Tim Stutzle (Ottawa Senators) leads Germany in scoring with an impressive four goals across three games.

France holds a 0-0-3-0 record, finishing fourth in Group A. Forward Louis Boudon leads France with three points (two goals, one assist) in three games. Germany previously defeated France 2-0 in the preliminaries of the 1998 Nagano Olympics, their only prior Winter Games matchup with NHL players.

Sweden vs. Latvia (3:10 p.m. ET)

Team Sweden, third in Group B with a 2-0-1-0 record, concluded its preliminary games with a 5-3 win against Slovakia. The team has demonstrated a high shot volume, recording 51 shots against Slovakia and an astounding 60 against Italy.

This makes them the only team with multiple 50-shot games in an Olympic year with NHL players.

Latvia (1-0-2-0, fourth in Group C) lost 4-2 to Denmark in its last preliminary round match. Zemgus Girgensons has contributed four assists, tying Sandis Ozolinsch (2002 Salt Lake City) for the most assists by a Latvian skater in an Olympic tournament with NHL players. Sweden has won both previous Winter Games matchups against Latvia with NHL players: 6-1 in 2006 (Torino) and 5-3 in 2014 (Sochi).

Czechia vs. Denmark (10:40 a.m. ET)

Czechia, with a 1-0-1-1 record and third in Group A, recently lost 4-3 in overtime to Switzerland. Forward Martin Necas (Colorado Avalanche), who scored to force overtime, leads Czechia with five points (two goals, three assists) in three games.

Team Denmark (1-0-2-0, third in Group C) secured its first tournament win against Latvia with a 4-2 score. Forward Nikolaj Ehlers (Carolina Hurricanes) scored his first career Olympic goal, which was the game-winner. While Denmark defeated Czechia in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, these two teams have not previously faced each other in Winter Games featuring NHL players.