Finland closed the tournament with a bronze medal, beating Slovakia 6-1. The scoreline suggests a dominant performance from start to finish. The reality was more layered. For 40 minutes, this was competitive, tense, and occasionally uneven. Then Finland’s depth, skill, and experience separated the game quickly in the third period.
Add in the physical toll of the tournament, including visible injuries and lineup disruption, and the result becomes more impressive.
The Third Period Was Finland’s Entire Margin
Through two periods, this did not resemble a six-goal win. Finland led 2-1, but the pace was inconsistent. Slovakia had stretches where it carried possession cleanly through the neutral zone and forced Finland into longer defensive sequences than it would have liked.
The turning point came early in the third.
Finland’s power play made it 3-1, and that goal shifted the emotional center of the game. Slovakia had been within one shot of tying it. Instead, it was chasing two. Forty-two seconds later, Finland struck again to push the lead to 4-1. That sequence ended the competitive phase of the night.
The two empty-net goals later inflated the final score, but the separation happened in that brief window when Finland tightened its puck movement and attacked with speed rather than settling for safe chips.
Finland Managed Through Injuries and Lineup Shifts
The bronze medal game was not played with a fully comfortable roster.
Mikael Granlund left late in the third period after hitting his head against the boards in a previous shift. He removed his helmet and headed down the tunnel, a reminder of how thin the margins are in a medal game. Even with a multi-goal lead, the captain’s exit from the ice shifts the emotional tone.
Earlier in the tournament, Finland had already dealt with lineup questions and adjustments. That context mattered. The coaching staff shuffled combinations to spark more consistent offensive pressure, and in this game, those changes paid off. The line chemistry in the bronze medal game looked more natural, especially among players who attacked through the middle rather than circling wide.
Juuse Saros, who carried a heavy workload throughout the tournament, was steady again. Slovakia pushed late in the second period, and Saros held the line long enough for Finland’s offense to separate in the third. His composure helped prevent the game from tilting before Finland found its scoring rhythm.
Winning a bronze medal requires more than talent. It requires surviving the physical and mental drain of a semifinal loss and resetting within 48 hours. Finland showed that sisu.
The Medal Is Earned, But The Standard Remains Higher
Bronze matters. Finland now adds another Olympic medal to its history, and in a tournament loaded with NHL talent, that is not accidental.
At the same time, this team’s ceiling always looked higher than its floor during this event. The bronze medal game reflected that pattern. When Finland played direct and attacked with pace, it overwhelmed Slovakia. When it drifted into safe clears and disconnected shifts, the game tightened.
Related: 3 Takeaways From Finland’s 3-2 Overtime Win Over Switzerland at the 2026 Olympics
The third period was a reminder of what this roster can look like when it plays with urgency. Crisp puck movement, decisive entries, and a willingness to shoot with traffic in front changed the tone instantly.
Finland leaves Milan with a medal around its neck. The larger takeaway is that the difference between surviving and controlling often comes down to one stretch of five clean minutes. In this game, Finland found them at the right time.
