MILAN (AP) — Juraj Slafkovsky has been here before. He was tournament MVP in 2022 when, at 17, he led Slovakia to its first medal of any color at the Olympics with bronze in Beijing. That was without NHL participation.

Friday at the Olympics is headlined by the U.S. men's hockey team facing Slovakia in the semifinals.

MILAN — As Team USA players spoke to reporters on a rainy Thursday morning outside the Olympic Village, Lucas Raymond and Tim Stutzle stood 10 or so feet down the street, suitcases in hand. The Swede and German dapped each other up, chatted for a few minutes, then waded off into separate Ubers, on their way back to North America.

The semifinal round for the men's hockey tournament at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics is set, with Canada, USA, Finland and Slovakia.

Men's ice hockey, women's curling and speed skating highlight Team USA''s chances to medal in Day 14 of the Milan Cortina Games.

Band of brothers' respond to hit on Slafkovsky with 2 goals in 33 seconds to spark quarterfinal win against Germany