[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Feb 12, 2026; Milan, Italy; Uvis Janis Balinskis of Latvia in action with Tage Thompson of United States in men’s ice hockey group C play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mike Segar/Reuters via Imagn Images
It’s do or die today at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano for Florida Panthers Gustav Forsling, Uvis Balinskis and Sandis Vilmanis.
The trio of Cats will take part in the final qualification playoff match of the day between Sweden and Latvia at Santagiulia Arena with the winner getting Matthew Tkachuk and the United States in quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Sweden went 2-1 in preliminary round play, but finished third in Group B due to goal differential. Latvia went 1-2 and finished in last place in Group C.
Today’s games at the 2026 Winter Olympics (Men’s tournament)
Qualification: Germany (6) vs. France (11) 6:10 a.m.
Qualification: Switzerland (5) vs. Italy (12) 6:10 a.m.
Group C: Czechia (8) vs. Denmark (9) 10:40 a.m.
Group C: Sweden (7) vs. Latvia (10) 3:10 p.m.
Monday’s results (Women’s tournament)
Semifinals: United States 5, Sweden 0
Semifinals: Canada 2, Switzerland 1
Checkers rout Wolf Pack
Ben Steeves scored two goals and added an assist and Kirill Gerasimyuk made 20 saves for his third AHL shutout in the Charlotte Checkers 9-0 rout of the Hartford Wolf Pack yesterday afternoon at Bojangles Coliseum. Marek Alscher, Brian Pinho, Noah Gregor, Mitchell Vande Sompel, Mike Benning, Jack Devine and Hunter St. Martin also lit the lamp for the Checkers. Nate Smith, Riese Gaber and Brett Chorske each collected two assists, while Benning, Devine, Pinho, St. Martin, Vande Sompel, Mikulas Hovorka, MacKenzie Entwistle, jake Livingstone, Jack Studnicka, Wilmer Skoog had one.