The Olympic hockey tournament for men is currently in its semifinal phase, with significant attention focused on the matchups that will determine the finalists. Scheduled to take place today, Canada will face Finland at 17:40 Latvian time, followed by a match between the USA and Slovakia at 22:10. The stakes are high, as none of the North American teams reached the semifinals four years ago, largely due to the absence of NHL players in the Beijing Games.

In the previous Olympic tournament, Finland and Slovakia were the only teams from this group to make it to the semifinals, securing gold and bronze medals respectively. The ongoing tournament presents a different narrative as injuries, such as that of Canadian captain Sidney Crosby, could significantly impact team performance. Crosby sustained an injury during the quarterfinal match against the Czech Republic, and it remains uncertain whether he will return to the ice for the final stages of the competition.

Currently, Connor McDavid, a forward for Canada, is leading the tournament in scoring with noteworthy performance stats, including two goals and nine assists over four matches, totaling eleven points. As the tournament progresses, the dynamics of team strengths, injuries, and previous Olympic performances will play a critical role in determining who secures a place in the finals and ultimately competes for the gold medal.