Kukan goal lifts Switzerland past Czechia in OT, clinches 2nd in OIympics Group A

This one was for Kevin Fiala.

Dean Kukan scored at 1:49 of overtime, and Team Switzerland secured second place in Group A at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 with a 4-3 win against Team Czechia at Santagiulia Arena in Milan on Sunday.

It was Switzerland’s first game without Fiala; the Los Angeles Kings forward had surgery and will miss the rest of the Olympics. Fiala was taken from the ice on a stretcher with 2:50 left in the third period of a 5-1 loss to Team Canada after he got tangled up along the boards with Canada forward Tom Wilson.

“He means a lot,” defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler said. “He’s a great guy, great teammate, he’s a guy you want to be around. A lot of guys grew up with him playing and especially me, I played with him in juniors. He’s just a loving guy and he’s always in a good mood.

“I think he’s a big part and as I said, it wasn’t easy for us to see him going down like that. But in the end, we’re a team. We’re a family and we do it for each other.”

GAMECENTER SUMMARY: Switzerland-Czechia

Swiss center Nico Hischier said, "Emotionally, it’s never easy seeing a guy go down like that with an injury like that, especially also he’s a big part of our group. But I think once more today, we showed the character that we have. Props to those guys who were in the stands before and came in and lined up today -- they played their heart out, and that’s what good teams do.

“… I think that just once again shows the team spirit we have. We’re just happy we heard from Kevin already. He gave us a message that he’s doing well, as well as he can be right now. He’s looking forward to watching the [next] game here.”

Kukan, a former Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman, won it with a wrist shot from the left face-off circle on a 2-on-1.

“I was first thinking about passing, but the shot was there,” Kukan said. “… We’re trying to get better every game, and hopefully we’re going to be even better next game. We’ll see where we end up.”

It was the first overtime game of the men’s hockey tournament and the last game of the preliminary round for each team. The qualifying playoffs begin Tuesday.

Roman Josi and Timo Meier each had a goal and an assist for Switzerland (1-1-1-0), and Leonardo Genoni made 29 saves.

“It’s huge,” said Josi, the Nashville Predators captain. “We knew it was a big game and it was a big game for them too. I thought we played a really solid game. Obviously a lot of ups and downs in the third period, but we found a way. Huge win against a really good team.”

Martin Necas had a goal and two assists, and Filip Chlapik had a goal and an assist for Czechia (1-0-1-1). Lukas Dostal made 25 saves.

Necas tied it 3-3 with 2:06 remaining in the third period, scoring on a one-timer in the left face-off circle with Dostal pulled for an extra attacker.

“I think it didn’t matter,” Necas said of his game-tying goal. “We needed the win and we didn’t get it.

“I think we’ve still gotten better than what we showed. We wanted the win; it didn’t matter if [it was] regulation, overtime, shootout … we wanted the win and didn’t get it today.”

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

Chlapik gave Czechia a 1-0 lead at 15:19 of the first period, finishing an odd-man rush with a one-timer in the right face-off circle after a feed from Necas.

Josi tied it 1-1 at 16:53 of the second period. He skated with the puck into the right circle and sent a backhand that went off the skate of Czechia defenseman Radko Gudas and trickled past Dostal.

It was Josi’s first goal of the tournament; he had 85 points (23 goals, 62 assists) for Nashville in 2023-24.

“I think you pick your spots,” Josi said. “It’s such a fast-paced game out there; against Canada, too, there’s not much space out there. Obviously I’m an offensive defenseman and hopefully try to be creative and jump in on the play, but it’s fast out there.”

Meier then gave Switzerland a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal at 18:37, backhanding a rebound in front past Dostal after the goalie made an initial save on Josi’s one-timer.

Radim Simek tied it 2-2 at 6:33 of the third period. Necas collected a loose puck and sent it back to the point, and Simek pounced on a rebound of Chlapik’s redirection in front of the goal crease.

But Pius Suter quickly put Switzerland back in front 3-2 at 8:07 from the edge of the right circle for his second goal of the tournament.

Czechia had what would have been the tying goal waved off at 16:34, when David Pastrnak was ruled to have interfered with Genoni during a power play.

“I thought we battled overall,” Gudas said. “I’m really happy with our effort. Unfortunately, I thought we deserved a little bit of luck, but it’s a tournament that’s short. But if we want to win, we have to go through anybody.”

Switzerland now awaits its next opponent on Tuesday. Fiala won’t be on the ice, but his importance to the group remains.

NOTES: Kukan became the second defenseman to score in overtime at Olympics with NHL players, following Drew Doughty (Canada) in 2014. … Switzerland remained perfect against Czechia at Olympics with NHL players, claiming its third win in as many meetings (2014, 2006).