Two teams with differing expectations meet in the first round of the knockout stage, as Lucas Raymond and Sweden take on Latvia in the men’s playoff qualifiers at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Sweden will face Latvia in the men’s hockey qualification playoffs of the 2026 Winter Olympics at Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, with puck drop at 3:10 p.m. ET and streaming on Peacock, and TV coverage on USA Network.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Defending champion Sweden was eliminated from semifinal contention in the men's curling competition at the Winter Olympics with two matches to spare Tuesday after what skip Niklas Edin described as a “horrible week.

“The hardest game and the biggest game you’ll have and the most nervous you’ll be will be the quarterfinal game,” he said. Exactly the situation Team USA finds itself in after Team Sweden defeated Team Latvia 5-1 in the qualification playoffs on Tuesday.

Latvia’s Teddy Blueger tried to make a pass out of his defensive zone, but the puck hit the skates of Nylander and went to the stick of Sweden teammate Joel Eriksson Ek, whose shot on goal hit Kempe’s right skate and went in for a 1-0 lead at 10:55.

While Norway rules the 2026 medal table, its hockey teams are at home — a stark difference from its Nordic neighbors Sweden and Finland.

Team USA women’s hockey returns to action on Monday, February 16, with a high-stakes game in the tournament semifinal of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The United States will be facing off against Sweden in the semifinal,

Recapping Day 11 of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Get the latest news, results, medal count, TV schedules and highlights from Italy.

Sweden and Latvia face off in the qualifiers in this men's ice hockey playoff matchup during the 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday.