Nashville Predators fans should consider calling in sick Wednesday afternoon, as three of the team’s four Olympians will face off in a win-or-go-home matchup.
Captain Roman Josi (Switzerland) will take on Juuse Saros and Erik Haula (Finland) on Wednesday in Olympic quarterfinals at 11:10 a.m. CST. Given the 4/5 matchup, the winner will likely face the highest-seeded team in the semifinals.
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While Finland earned the final BYE into the quarterfinals, Switzerland faced Italy in the qualification playoffs, winning 3-0.
Josi scored the Swiss’s second goal of the game on the power play. He now has four points (2G, 2A) in four games, the second most among defensemen in the tournament.
On the other side, Saros has guided Finland to a 2-1-0 record, making 70 saves on 74 shots and picking up a shutout in an 11-0 win over Italy.
He boasts a .949 save percentage and a 1.34 goals against average, both of which are the fourth best among goalies in the tournament.
Haula has been solid for the Finns in his first Olympics, tallying three points (3A) in three games.
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This is the second straight Olympics that Switzerland will meet Finland in the knockout round. In the 2022 Olympics, Finland defeated Switzerland, 5-1, in the quarterfinals and went on to win its first ever Gold Medal
The Swiss have not medaled since the 1948 Winter Olympics (bronze) and have not finished higher than eighth in the last four games. Finland has medaled in four of the last five Olympics (1 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze).