In the group stage of the tournament, Switzerland secured the second position, mirroring Finland's performance in Group B. The Swiss team initially took a commanding lead, with D. Riatas scoring first in the 14th minute, followed shortly by N. Riederreiter's goal. It wasn't until the 14th minute of the third period that Finland finally found the net with S. Aho scoring to reduce the deficit, as time was slipping away from the Finns who needed another goal to equalize. With the clock winding down and a dire need for a quick response, the Finnish team made a bold move by pulling their goalkeeper for an extra player just two minutes before the end of the game. This gamble paid off as M. Heiskanen deflected a shot into the Swiss net with just 1 minute and 12 seconds left on the clock, leveling the score and forcing the match into overtime. The teams faced off for ten additional minutes with three players each, but if no goal was scored, the game would go to a shootout. The overtime period saw Finland quickly take advantage of the situation, with A. Lehkonen seizing the puck at the blue line. He broke away from the defenders and scored a golden goal just 3 minutes and 23 seconds into the extra time. This clutch performance ensured Finland's progression in the tournament, eliminating Switzerland and continuing their quest to defend their Olympic title.