MILAN, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Overtime drama defined the men's Olympic ice hockey quarter-finals on Wednesday, with favourites Canada and defending champions Finland surviving to set up a semi-final clash, while the United States also needed extra time and will meet Slovakia in the last four.
With NHL players returning to the Games for the first time since 2014, a much-hyped final between the U.S. and rivals Canada is still on the cards, while Finland continue their defence and the Slovakians aim to reach their first gold-medal game.
Both semi-finals are scheduled for Friday at Santagiulia Arena.
Canada came in as heavy favourites and their group stage performances only furthered their status as they knocked five past both the Czech Republic and Switzerland, conceding one goal, before taking France apart in a 10-2 thumping.
As group winners, Canada ended up meeting the Czechs again in the quarter-finals where they found themselves 3-2 down late in the final period, but levelled the game before Mitch Marner scored the winner 82 seconds into overtime.
Wednesday's drama may have provided a timely wake-up call, and there will be no room for complacency when they meet Finland, whose never-say-die attitude kept them in the tournament in a dramatic comeback against Switzerland.
Finland have just one survivor from their 2022 gold-medal-winning squad -- Mikko Lehtonen, the only non-NHL player on their roster -- but have proven their Olympic credentials time and again, medalling at four of the last five Games.
They made a false start to their title defence, slumping to a 4-1 loss to Slovakia before downing rivals Sweden by the same score and then knocking 11 past hosts Italy without reply.
Those two wins were enough to avoid the playoffs and automatically advance to the last eight as the best runner-up, but Finland found themselves two goals down to Switzerland with less than seven minutes left.
Two late goals and Artturi Lehkonen's overtime winner on a breakaway kept Finland in the tournament, and this fighting spirit will be needed more than ever against Canada.
SLOVAKIAN SURPRISE
Slovakia, despite their bronze medal in 2022, came in somewhat under the radar, but laid down a marker with the early win over Finland.
They battled past Italy before losing 5-3 to Sweden, but a late consolation goal took them to the top of the group on goal difference, avoiding the playoffs and a potentially more challenging quarter-final matchup.
Slovakia had little trouble seeing off Germany 6-2.
In their way is a U.S. side determined to win its first gold since 1980, after nearly throwing it all away against Sweden.
The Americans eased through their group, beating Latvia 5-1, overpowering Denmark 6-3 after conceding the opening goal and brushing Germany aside.
Wednesday's quarter-final with Sweden, however, was a nail-biter. The U.S. took the lead after the halfway mark but were never able to find any breathing room, keeping the Swedes in the game to the last.
A final-minute equaliser brought yet more three-on-three overtime, but the U.S. survived thanks to a Quinn Hughes goal.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes in MilanEditing by Bill Berkrot)
