2026 Milano Cortina Olympics On Tap: Single-elimination playoff begins Tuesday

The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 have begun. The men's hockey tournament, the first with NHL players since the 2014 Sochi Olympics, has reached the single-elimination playoff that will conclude with the gold medal game Sunday. The top four seeds from the preliminary round received byes to the quarterfinals, where they will meet the winners of the four qualification playoff games.

Here is a look at the games Tuesday:

5. Team Switzerland vs. 12. Team Italy (6:10 a.m. ET; Peacock, ICI Télé, CBC Gem)

How they got here

Switzerland (1-1-1-0, second in Group A): Defeated Team France 4-0, lost to Team Canada 5-1, defeated Team Czechia 4-3 in OT

Italy (0-0-3-0, fourth in Group B): Lost to Team Sweden 5-2, lost to Team Slovakia 3-2, lost to Team Finland 11-0

Player to watch

Switzerland: Forward Timo Meier is one behind the Olympics lead with three goals and tied with defenseman J.J. Moser for the team lead with four points in three games. His contributions will be even more important with Kevin Fiala sidelined with fractures in his lower left leg.

Italy: Goalie Damian Clara, a second-round pick (No. 60) by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2023 NHL Draft, doesn't have great numbers (0-0-3-0, 6.51 goals-against average, .895 save percentage), but the 21-year-old demonstrated in Italy's 5-2 loss to Sweden in its Olympic opener that he can compete against world-class players, stopping 46 of 49 shots before having to leave in the third period because of cramping.

Will win if

Switzerland: Utilizes its superiority in depth and experience, particularly on defense with Roman Josi, Moser, Dean Kukan and Jonas Siegenthaler, and plays within its defensive structure.

Italy: Clara can repeat his performance against Sweden (and finish the game) to hold Switzerland's offense in check, and his teammates can score more than two goals for the first time in the Olympics.

EDGE Stats to watch

Switzerland defenseman Roman Josi (Nashville Predators) ranks eighth in the NHL at his position this season in midrange shots on goal (42) and is in the 95th percentile in offensive zone time percentage (46.1 percent).

The skinny

Even without Fiala, Switzerland is the clear favorite with big advantages at forward, defense and in net. Italy was able to stay close in its first two preliminary round games despite being heavily outshot before being routed by Finland, but generating chances and scoring goals (four in three games) has been a struggle throughout. The teams tied 3-3 in their only previous game at an Olympics with NHL players in the preliminary round of the 2006 Torino Games. The winner will face No. 4 seed Finland in the quarterfinals Wednesday.

6. Team Germany vs. 11. Team France (6:10 a.m. ET; Peacock, ICI Télé, CBC Gem)

How they got here

Germany (1-0-2-0, second in Group C): Defeated Team Denmark 3-1, lost to Team Latvia 4-3, lost to Team USA 5-1

France (0-0-3-0, fourth in Group A): Lost to Team Switzerland 4-0, lost to Team Czechia 6-3, lost to Team Canada 10-2

Player to watch

Germany: Leon Draisaitl is fifth in the NHL with 80 points (29 goals, 51 assists) in 55 games for the Edmonton Oilers this season, but the forward has been quiet with one assist in the past two games for Germany after getting a goal and an assist in its win against Denmark. He's due to break out against France.

France: Forward Alexandre Texier, who has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 38 games this season with the Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues, is the lone NHL player on France's roster. He'll need to elevate his play after being held without a point and having a minus-8 rating in his three preliminary round games.

Will win if

Germany: Stars such as Draisaitl, Tim Stutzle, JJ Peterka and Moritz Seider step up and it gets back to how it played against Denmark with a strong defensive structure in front of goalie Philipp Grubauer (1-1-0-0, 2.56 GAA, .917 save percentage).

France: Whichever goalie starts -- Julian Junca (0-0-1-0, 6.19 GAA, .867 save percentage), Antoine Keller (0-0-1-0, 6.00 GAA, .857 save percentage) Martin Neckar (0-0-1-0, 8.60 GAA, .769 save percentage) -- will need to play his best game and France will have to find a way to generate more offensively. Three of its five goals in the tournament came in a span of 4:53 in the second period against Czechia.

EDGE Stats to watch

Stutzle (Ottawa Senators) ranks fourth in the NHL in 22-plus mph speed bursts (30) this season. The forward is also tied for sixth in high-danger goals (17).

The skinny

Germany finished second in its group despite losing its past two games and fell into favorable matchup against France. Germany could find its confidence offensively in this game, but it will need Grubauer to play better than he did against Latvia (four goals on 22 shots). France gave Czechia a scare, taking a 3-2 lead in the second period before losing 6-3, but managed only 12 shots on goal in that game. Draisaitl's father, Peter Draisaitl, had a goal and an assist when Germany defeated France 2-0 in the preliminary round of the 1998 Nagano Olympics, the teams' lone previous meeting in an Olympics including NHL players. The winner will face No. 3 seed Slovakia in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

8. Team Czechia vs. 9. Team Denmark (10:40 a.m. ET; Peacock, ICI Télé, CBC Gem, SN)

How they got here

Czechia (1-0-1-1, third in Group A): Lost to Team Canada 5-0, defeated Team France 6-3, lost to Team Switzerland 4-3 in OT

Denmark (1-0-2-0, third in Group C): Lost to Team Germany 3-1, lost to Team USA 6-3, defeated Team Latvia 4-2

Player to watch

Czechia: Like Draisaitl with Germany, David Pastrnak has been relatively quiet with three points (one goal, two assists) in three preliminary round games. The forward, who is sixth in the NHL with 71 points (22 goals, 49 assists) in 52 games this season with the Boston Bruins, has another level that he needs to find now that Czechia has reached single-elimination play.

Denmark: Nikolaj Ehlers scored his first goal of the Olympics, which turned out to be the game-winner, in Denmark's victory against Latvia on Sunday and has three points in three games. The Carolina Hurricanes forward is the NHL's all-time leader among Denmark-born players in goals (239), assists (324) and points (563) and will need to be a difference-maker in this game.

Will win if

Czechia: Top forwards such as Pastrnak, Martin Necas and Tomas Hertl can lead the way offensively and Czechia can play a solid defensive game in front of Lukas Dostal (0-1-0-1, 4.47 GAA, .862 save percentage) or whoever starts in goal.

Denmark: Frederik Andersen (1-0-1-0, 2.58 GAA, .918 save percentage) follows up his 33-save effort against Latvia with an even better performance and Denmark can get depth scoring from players beyond Ehlers and Nick Oleson, who scored three of its eight goals in the preliminary round.

EDGE Stats to watch

Hertl (Vegas Golden Knights) is second in the NHL in high-danger shots on goal (90) this season behind Oilers captain Connor McDavid (94). Hertl also ranks fourth in power-play offensive zone time percentage (65.7 percent).

The skinny

Czechia played better in its overtime loss to Switzerland in its final preliminary round game but probably has another level. Although it probably can get by without playing its best against Denmark, this will still be a challenging game. Denmark kept things close against the United States, trailing 4-3 entering the third period, and played its best game of the tournament against Latvia. This will be the first time the teams meet in an Olympics with NHL players participating. The winner advances to face No. 1 seed Canada in the quarterfinals.

WATCH: Men's Hockey Highlights from the Olympic Winter Games

7. Team Sweden vs. 10. Team Latvia (3:10 p.m. ET; Peacock, USA, ICI Télé, CBC Gem)

How they got here

Sweden (2-0-1-0, third in Group B): Defeated Team Italy 5-2, lost to Team Finland 4-1, defeated Team Slovakia 5-3

Latvia (1-0-2-0, fourth in Group C): Lost to Team USA 5-1, defeated Team Germany 4-3, lost to Team Denmark 4-2

Player to watch

Sweden: Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has been very good for the Buffalo Sabres this season with 48 points (11 goals, 37 assists) in 53 games, and, perhaps, Sweden's best player at the Olympics with four points (one goal, three assists) while averaging 22:00 in ice time in three games.

Latvia: Zemgus Girgensons is a depth forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning with 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 48 games this season, but he is Latvia's No. 1 center. He's excelled in that role with a team-leading four points (four assists) while averaging 21:31 in ice time in three games.

Will win if

Sweden: It plays like it did against Slovakia and gets solid goaltending from whoever starts -- Jacob Markstrom (1-0-0-0, 3.02 GAA, .906 save percentage), Filip Gustavsson (1-0-1-0, 2.55 GAA, .889) or Jesper Wallstedt (yet to play).

Latvia: It gets strong goaltending from Arturs Silovs (1-0-1-0) 3.01 GAA, .873 save percentage) or Elvis Merzlikins (0-0-1-0, 6.00 GAA, .875 save percentage) and can generate chances against Sweden's stingy defense to produce enough goals to pull off the upset.

EDGE Stats to watch

Sweden defenseman Victor Hedman (Lightning) ranks seventh in the NHL in hardest shot (101.42 mph) this season and is also in the 95th percentile at his position in average shot speed (74.19 mph).

The skinny

Sweden was considered a gold medal contender entering the Olympics, but it struggled before playing its best game against Slovakia. After allowing a late power-play goal in that victory to drop from the No. 3 seed to No. 7 (via goal-differential tiebreaker), Sweden is big favorites in this game with superior depth at forward and on defense. The question mark is in goal after Gustavsson looked shaky in his two starts. Sweden coach Sam Hallam would not name his starter Monday. Latvia has some offensive skill with Girgensons, Renars Krastenbergs (two goals, one assist) Eduards Tralmaks (two goals, one assists) and Bruins prospect Dans Locmelis (two goals in win vs. Germany). Silovs or Merzlikins will probably need to steal this game, though, for Latvia to advance. Sweden won each of the two previous games between the teams in Olympics with NHL players (2006, 2014). The winner will face No. 2 seed U.S. in the quarterfinals.