Day 3 of the Olympic tournament delivered to the Kings — in both triumph and tension. Joel Armia scored a shorthanded goal for Finland, while Kevin Fiala’s injury left Los Angeles anxiously awaiting updates.
Day 3 of the Olympic Hockey games at Milano Cortina was something to remember. We can start with Finland getting an excellent win over Sweden after that disappointing loss on Wednesday against Slovakia.
Joel Armia scored his first goal of the Olympics with an impressive shorthanded goal, while Finland's goaltender Juuse Saros was outstanding, stopping 34 of 35 shots in a composed bounce-back performance to win 4-1.
But the biggest news today concerns Kings forward Kevin Fiala, who was stretchered off the ice in the final two minutes of the final frame after getting tangled up with Tom Wilson.
Fiala wasn't having the best game today before going down with that injury. After Canada smoked Switzerland today, winning 5-1, we only hope for a positive update on the Kings' forward.
Kings Teammates Deliver in Rivalry Win
Finland was great defensively against Sweden today, especially goaltender Saros, who anchored the defense and took the pressure off the back end. The dagger came when Armia delivered the goal in the second period to extend Finland's lead to 3-1.
Adrian Kempe was starting on the other side of the ice for Sweden, playing against teammate Armia. But, the Swedish forward was quiet today and was held off the scoresheet as Finland's defense clogged lanes and limited Sweden's offense, preventing second chances.
The Finns' depth was the deciding factor in today's win, even though they're banged up with injuries, up front and on the blue line. Finland is still impressive and can compete in the gold medal round.
Four different starters scored a goal, and 12 different players scored a point in the win over Sweden, with defenseman Esa Lindell getting one up on the board to showcase how deep Finland still is.
Fiala Injured in Canada-Switzerland Clash
After we saw the early-morning matchup for the Kings between Sweden and Finland, we were later treated to the final late-afternoon matchup between Canada and Switzerland.
Both teams were coming off dominant wins in their last outings, shutting out their opponents. But, the game became a wash after what Kings fans and the hockey world witnessed in the final minute of regulation.
Switzerland fell 5-1 to Canada, powered by Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon.
But the storyline came in the third period when Kings winger Kevin Fiala was taken to the hospital, according to Swiss coach Patrick Fischer.
Fiala remained on the floor, lying on his stomach, for several minutes before being carefully removed from the ice.
This injury is particularly concerning for Los Angeles, given Fiala's role as one of the premier offesnive leader's, who has 18 goals, 22 assists, and 40 points on the season. It can also impact Switzerland's chances of a deep run in the Olympics.
Following the game, the Kings' captain, Drew Doughty, shared his immediate reaction regarding his teammate:
“Tough to see. Hopefully, he’s gonna be fine quick. We need that guy on my team back home, big-time. That’s not something I wanted, obviously, to happen. Gonna go find him right now and see how he’s doing.”
The biggest question mark for the Kings now remains Kevin Fiala's status and return date, whether in the Olympics or later, when we resume after the break.
We're back in action tomorrow with Sweden rematching Slovakia at 6:00 a.m. EST after losing its opener to them and Finland taking on Italy at 10:30 a.m. EST.
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