Two teams with differing expectations meet in the first round of the knockout stage, as Lucas Raymond and Sweden take on Latvia in the men’s playoff qualifiers at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Severance is coming off an outstanding NHL season in which he went 235-155-21 (plus $2,022). He entered the Olympic break on a 26-12 roll on NHL money-line picks this season, returning $1,326 for $100 players. Anyone following his hockey picks at their favorite sportsbooks could have seen huge returns.

When does the USA men's hockey team play next? Here's the Olympic quarterfinal schedule, including what day and time to watch.

Sweden's Olympic campaign in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games is at a critical stage, with Victor Hedman emphasizing the importance of more physical play to prevent possible elimination at the hands of Latvia.

It’s been a long time coming for Latvia. They stunned Germany, 4-3, in men’s hockey on Saturday, marking their first win in the competition at a Winter Olympics since 2014, when they beat Switzerland.

SportsLine's expert Mike Severance reveals his USA vs. Latvia picks for their Winter Olympics men's hockey matchup on Thursday

Victor Hedman thinks that Team Sweden needs to play more physically in order to win a very important Olympic quarterfinal against Team Latvia. Sweden's NHL-heavy roster is changing how they play to deal with Latvia's aggressive style as the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics get closer to elimination.

Sweden and Latvia face off in the qualifiers in this men's ice hockey playoff matchup during the 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday.

The United States and Latvia face off in this Group C men's ice hockey matchup during the 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday.