The Finnish men's ice hockey team, known as the Lions, is set to continue its Olympic journey with a semifinal match against the favored Canadian team. Finland advanced to this stage after a thrilling quarterfinal against Switzerland, where they triumphed 3-2 in a closely contested overtime match, with Artturi Lehkonen scoring the decisive goal. This victory marks an important step for the Lions as they aim for Olympic glory.

Canada also had a challenging outing in their quarterfinal, where they faced the Czech Republic. The match went into overtime as well, but Canadian star Mitch Marner secured victory for his team with a standout individual performance, reflecting the high-stakes nature of these playoffs. The Lions and Canada had a previous encounter in the last year's World Championships, where Finland came out on top after a shootout, heightening the rivalry and anticipation ahead of this matchup.

As the teams prepare to clash, Canada is entering the game as the clear favorite, with a match scheduled to start at 17:40 local time in Finland. Despite the skepticism among hockey analysts about Finland's chances, the dynamics of ice hockey often produce surprises, making the upcoming match a highly anticipated spectacle in the world of sports.