MILAN — Artturi Lehkonen’s timing has become a story in its own right.
When the stakes rise and time is running out, the puck seems to find its stick – and more often than not, the story follows.
That scenario repeated itself Tuesday at Rho Arena, where Lehkonen delivered another highlight-reel moment, scoring 3:32 into overtime to lift Finland to a stunning 3-2 win over Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The breakaway winner sent Finland into the semifinals of the Olympic Games featuring NHL players for the fifth time in six appearances.
Lehkonen’s knack for decisive goals is nothing new. He scored four Stanley Cup game-winning goals with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, including the goal that won the Cup and another that sent Colorado to the final. The year before, he buried the overtime winner that sent the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup final. His record of crucial shots has gradually become one of the most reliable trends in hockey.
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Against Switzerland, Finland needed every ounce of that pedigree.
Trailing 2-0 with just over six minutes left in regulation, the Finnish tournament seemed to be slipping away. Switzerland had dictated the pace from the start and defended with composure, frustrating a Finnish team composed entirely of NHL talent.
Switzerland took control in the first period with two goals in 72 seconds. Damien Riat opened the scoring at 14:14 after Ken Jäger intercepted a pass behind the Finnish net and fed it for an easy finish into an open cage. Moments later, Nino Niederreiter doubled the advantage, tapping in a one-timer from the left circle on a pass from Pius Suter that flew over the glove of Juuse Saros, with Niko Mikkola shielding his own goaltender.
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From there, the Swiss established structure and discipline, protecting their lead with aplomb and forcing Finland to press on.
Finland finally broke through at 13:54 of the third period when Sebastian Aho fired a wrist shot past Leonardo Genoni to cut the lead to one. With Saros bringing in an extra attacker late in the match, Miro Heiskanen tied the game at 18:48, firing a point shot that deflected off Swiss defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler and into the net. The equalizer, scored with 1:12 remaining, marked Finland’s last tying goal in Olympic competition in the NHL era.
The change in dynamic was undeniable.
Overtime required just one mistake – and a moment of instinct.
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Anton Lundell carried the puck cleanly out of the Finnish zone and sent a pass to Lehkonen, who slipped behind defenseman Dean Kukan. Alone on a breakaway, Lehkonen slipped in and fired a wrist shot past Genoni, sealing another chapter in his growing catalog of clutch performances.
Saros, who gave up two goals early on, stabilized afterward and finished with 21 saves. Genoni stopped 28 shots in the loss as Switzerland – which fielded eight NHL players – was six minutes away from reaching its first Olympic semifinal.
Finland will now face Canada in Friday’s semifinal (10:40 a.m. ET; Peacock, USA (JIP), ICI Télé, CBC Gem, CBC (JIP), SN (JIP), RDS2), turning its attention to another medal opportunity.
The Finns advance to the next round looking to defend the gold medal they won at the 2022 Beijing Games, an Olympic Games held without the participation of the NHL. In previous Olympic tournaments featuring NHL players, Finland has won three bronze medals (1998, 2010, 2014) and one silver (2006). Today, with another Lehkonen dagger etched in the memory, the quest for a second consecutive Olympic title remains alive.
When the margins disappear and the pressure reaches fever pitch, Finland has learned a simple truth: if the puck finds Artturi Lehkonen, the outcome rarely remains uncertain for long.
