Juraj Slafkovsky led the 2022 Olympics in goal-scoring. He's already at it again for Slovakia in the 2026 men's hockey tournament.
Juraj Slafkovsky has not stopped scoring at the Olympics.
In 2022, Slafkovsky scored a tournament-leading seven goals, including two in the bronze medal game against Sweden to help Slovakia win their first-ever medal in men's hockey. The Montreal Canadiens drafted him first overall five months later.
He's already on the board in Milan.
Just 7:45 into the men's hockey tournament, Slafkovsky opened the scoring for Slovakia against Finland.
As Finland's Mikko Lehtonen, who won gold in 2022, grabbed the puck behind the net and tried to move it up to a forward, Slafkovsky intercepted the pass. The right winger then deked past Roope Hintz, walked in around goalie Juuse Saros and swung a shot into the net.
Team Slovakia's Juraj Slafkovsky reaches around Team Finland's Juuse Saros to score the first goal of the men's hockey tournament at the 2026 Olympics. (Mike Segar/Reuters via Imagn Images)Slafkovsky added another goal in the third period to give Slovakia a 3-1 lead over Finland. And in the final three minutes of the game, without a stick, Slafkovsky battled for the puck and eventually drew a secondary assist on Adam Ruzicka's empty-net goal. Slovakia upset Finland 4-1.
The game featured more lamp-lightning moment for the 21-year-old Slafkovsky, who continues to grow as a player since the Winter Games in Beijing.
"In 2022, he was a physical marvel," analyst Mike Johnson said on Canada's broadcast of the game. "Now, he understands the game, timing and pace and spacing to go with those physical skills."
Among all the NHL players participating in this year's tournament, Slafkovsky has the most career Olympic goals, with nine now, CBC pointed out during the game. Canada's Sidney Crosby and Drew Doughty and Sweden's Erik Karlsson have four each.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound player from Kosice, Slovakia, was heating up in the NHL this season before heading to Italy. On top of having two goals and four points in his last five games, he put up 12 goals and 25 points in his last 23 games.
Slafkovsky has 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points in 57 NHL games this season. And although he's scored his first nine goals of his Olympic career before recording his first helper, he's continuing to help Slovakia punch above their weight.
"He's never been in awe of the moment," Johnson said. "Not in the Olympics, and not in Montreal."
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