MILAN — Artturi Lehkonen’s timing has become a storyline of its own.
When the stakes rise and the clock tightens, the puck seems to find his stick — and more often than not, history follows.
That script played out again Tuesday at Rho Arena, where Lehkonen delivered another signature moment, scoring 3:32 into overtime to lift Finland to a stunning 3–2 comeback victory over Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The breakaway winner propelled Finland into the semifinals of an Olympics featuring NHL players for the fifth time in six appearances.
Lehkonen’s flair for decisive goals is hardly new. He scored four game-winners during the Stanley Cup run with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, including the goal that clinched the Cup and another that sent Colorado to the Final. The year before, he buried the overtime winner that carried the Montreal Canadiens into the Stanley Cup Final. His résumé of pivotal strikes has quietly grown into one of hockey’s most reliable trends.
Advertisement
Against Switzerland, Finland needed every ounce of that pedigree.
Trailing 2–0 with just over six minutes remaining in regulation, Finland’s tournament appeared to be slipping away. Switzerland had dictated the pace early and defended with composure, frustrating a Finnish roster composed entirely of NHL talent.
Switzerland seized 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 Finland’s net and fed him for an easy finish into an open cage. Moments later, Nino Niederreiter doubled the advantage, stepping into a one-timer from the left circle off a pass from Pius Suter that sailed over Juuse Saros’ glove, with Niko Mikkola screening his own goaltender.
Advertisement
From there, the Swiss leaned into structure and discipline, protecting the lead with poise and forcing Finland to chase.
Finland finally broke through at 13:54 of the third period when Sebastian Aho snapped a wrist shot past Leonardo Genoni to cut the deficit to one. With Saros pulled for an extra attacker late, Miro Heiskanen tied the game at 18:48, firing a shot from the point that deflected off Swiss defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler and into the net. The equalizer, scored with 1:12 remaining, marked Finland’s latest game-tying goal in Olympic play during the NHL era.
The momentum shift was unmistakable.
Overtime required only one mistake — and one moment of instinct.
Advertisement
Anton Lundell carried the puck cleanly out of Finland’s zone and threaded a pass ahead to Lehkonen, who slipped behind defenseman Dean Kukan. Alone on a breakaway, Lehkonen glided in and snapped a wrist shot past Genoni, sealing yet another chapter in his growing catalogue of clutch performances.
Saros, who surrendered two early goals, steadied thereafter and finished with 21 saves. Genoni turned aside 28 shots in defeat as Switzerland — which dressed eight NHL players — came within six minutes of reaching its first Olympic semifinal.
Finland now advances to 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 toward another medal opportunity.
The Finns enter the next round seeking to defend the gold medal they captured at the 2022 Beijing Games, an Olympics held without NHL participation. In previous Olympic tournaments featuring NHL players, Finland has claimed three bronze medals (1998, 2010, 2014) and one silver (2006). Now, with another Lehkonen dagger etched into memory, the pursuit of a second straight Olympic title remains alive.
When the margins disappear and the pressure peaks, Finland has learned a simple truth: if the puck finds Artturi Lehkonen, the ending rarely stays uncertain for long.
