A potential Finnish Olympic hockey disaster was averted in dramatic fashion. Finland secured a semifinal berth after a thrilling comeback and overtime victory against Switzerland on Wednesday.

Early Swiss Dominance

Switzerland took an early lead, capitalizing on a costly mistake by Finnish goaltender Juuse Saros. A misplayed pass behind the net led directly to a Damien Riat goal. Less than a minute later, Nino Niederreiter extended the Swiss advantage with a long-range shot, putting Finland in an unexpected 2-0 hole.

Finland Fights Back

Despite the shaky start, Finland regrouped and began to apply more pressure. Sebastian Aho finally broke through with a goal late in the third period, igniting hope for a Finnish comeback.

Dramatic Equalizer and Overtime

Finland continued to push, and with time running out, they managed to tie the game, forcing overtime. The tying goal was credited to Miro Heiskanen, but was the result of a deflection off a Swiss player.

Lehkonen Secures the Win

In overtime, Artturi Lehkonen became the hero for Finland, scoring the game-winning goal just over three minutes into the extra frame and sending Finland to the semifinals.

“It’s an amazing feeling. It’s one of the most amazing games I’ve ever played,” said Sebastian Aho to Yle after the match.

Medal Table Snapshot (February 18, 2026)

Stay tuned for further updates on the Olympic hockey tournament.