Leafs teammates Matthews and Nylander collide in Olympics with dramatic finish

Fansided | February 19, 2026

The United States and Sweden were in a tightly contested quarterfinal matchup Wednesday afternoon.

Feb 18, 2026; Milan, Italy; William Nylander (88) of Sweden in action against Auston Matthews (34) of the United States in a men's ice hockey quarterfinal during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

For Toronto Maple Leafs fans, the quarterfinal matchup at the 2026 Winter Olympics wasn’t just about watching a good game in a best-on-best tournament -- it was about watching two franchise cornerstones battle on the biggest international stage.