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Pre-Scout: Team Finland’s resilience key in taking on McDavid-led Canada
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Photo credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Michael Menzies
Feb 19, 2026, 19:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 19, 2026, 16:10 EST
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I guess that’s why coaches preach playing a full 60 minutes. If hockey games were only 56 minutes long, neither Team Canada nor Team Finland would be through to the semi-finals. 
Instead, each nation tested its mettle and ensured a spot in an Olympic medal game. 
For Finland, Artturi Lehkonen played the Mitch Marner role of overtime hero in the 3-on-3, as the Finns finally solved Leonardo Genoni twice before the end of regulation to come back. 
“He’s just a smart hockey player with ice in his veins,” said teammate Mikko Rantanen, who won the Stanley Cup in 2022 with the Colorado Avalanche with Lehkonen. Lehkonen scored eight playoff goals during that run, four of them being game-winners. 
“He’s never nervous in these games, and it’s fun to play with him. He does so many things well, but he can also score a lot.” 
Sebastian Aho scored his third of the tournament with 6:06 left. Then Miro Heiskanen got the all-important 2-2 goal with 72 seconds left, after Genoni stoned multiple Finns cold in the dying moments. Genoni, at the time, hadn’t allowed a goal in over five periods. 
Switzerland took advantage of a Juuse Saros gaffe and sat on a two-goal lead, seemingly destined to advance and play spoiler in the next round. 
But Finland found a way. It hasn’t always been pretty, knowing for months they’d be without Sasha Barkov for such a big event, but they’ve found ways to win. 
This country loves to win medals at international events and will have its chance again. 

Depth offence

While Connor McDavid is threatening to break Olympic NHLer records, Finland’s offence has been well-spread out. 
Rantanen and Lehkonen are tied with five points, and twenty Finnish players have registered a point (Canada has 19 skaters with a point). 
Along with Lehkonen, Joel Armia, Kaapo Kakko, Mikael Granlund, Miro Heiskanen, and Joel Kiviranta all have two goals at the games. Aho leads with three. 
The depth has shone through in the tournament, but 11 of the team’s 19 goals came against hapless Italy. 
After a disappointing start in group play, losing to Slovakia 4-1, Finland reversed script and defeated Sweden 4-1 in a chippy contest, then made sure to bolster their goal differential. 
Rarely is a team dominant throughout every game at this tournament, and Finland’s shown resilience. 
“I think everybody still believed in our team,” said Eetu Luostarinen, a two-time Stanley Cup champ. “You can never, never give up. So even if there’s a minute left and we’re down two, you can still score two. We just have to believe.” 

Saros on form

For Finland to win, it begins and ends with Jusse Saros. Head coach Antti Pennanen has not fooled around and started Saros in all four games. 
He’s rewarded his nation by going 3-1, with a .938 save percentage, and one shutout. Saros is more than capable of stealing a game and has more pedigree than Lukas Dostal, who threatened to do the same for Czechia in the quarterfinals against Canada. 
“Their star power is massive,” Saros told TSN’s Mark Masters. “Probably the biggest challenge for this tournament.”
The x-factor in McDavid is met by multiple Florida Panthers (Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, Niko Mikkola), who have experience playing against the game’s best player. 
Although Pennanen’s best shutdown option in Barkov is unavailable – at least on the ice. 
“I think Sasha Barkov is going to help me about that,” joked Pennanen on Thursday. “He’s the best player in the tournament. He’s a great player.” 
Canada’s centre ice depth will be tested with Sidney Crosby injured, who has provided six points in the Games. Whether he plays or not is uncertain as of writing time, but if he does suit up, he won’t be 100 per cent. 
“We’re gonna throw everything we have,” said Aho. 

Legacy of success

Finland won its first-ever Olympic gold in men’s hockey in the last tournament and have become one of the most consistent nations in hardware in the past 30 years. 
However, last year’s Four Nations tournament did not go to plan. They beat Sweden in overtime for their lone one, suffering a 6-1 loss to the United States, and a 5-3 defeat to the hands of Canada. 
Canada had a 4-0 lead at one point, but Finland charged in the last seven minutes, scoring three unanswered thanks to Esa Lindell and Mikael Granlund twice to draw within one with 1:17 left in regulation. 
Sidney Crosby scored an empty-netter to end the comeback try. Finland did not have Heiskanen available in that tournament.
Olympic history: 
  • 2022 Beijing: Gold 
  • 2018 PyeongChang: 6th
  • 2014 Sochi: Bronze
  • 2010 Vancouver: Bronze
  • 2006 Turin: Silver
  • 2004 World Cup: Silver
  • 2002 Salt Lake City: 6th
  • 1998 Nagano: Bronze
—
  • 1994 Lillehammer: Bronze
  • 1992 Albertville: 7th 
  • 1991 Canada Cup: Bronze
  • 1988 Calgary: Silver
World Championships: 
  • 2025: 7th
  • 2024: 8th
  • 2023: 7th 
  • 2022: Gold
  • 2021: Silver
  • 2019: Gold

Notes: 

  • Heiskanen’s tying goal vs Switzerland with 1:12 remaining is the third-latest tying goal in a playoff game at the Olympics with NHL players. He joins Trevor Linden’s tying goal for Canada against the Czech Republic in the semi-final in 1998, and Zach Parise’s USA equalizer with 25 seconds left in the gold medal game in 2010 against Canada. Both teams lost those games. 
  • It has not been smooth sailing off the ice. Reports last week indicated that Finland was in turmoil after the Four Nations, and one player asked general manager Jere Lehtinen to replace coach Antti Pennanen with Panther’s bench boss, Paul Maurice. 
  • One more point for Connor McDavid and he’ll break the single-tournament point record for an NHLer (11). It’s currently held by Finnish legends Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu from the Turin games in 2006. 
  • Canada’s powerplay: 5/12 – 41.7%. Canada’s penalty kill: 7/9 – 77.8%
  • Finland’s powerplay: 2/10 = 20%. Finland’s penalty kill: 8/10 – 80%  
Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and has been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, he also collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues.

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