NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
A Slovak native was in Italy this week, 16 years after prosecutors in the country issued a warrant against him.
The 44-year-old unidentified man traveled to Milan to watch his home country’s Olympic hockey team take on medal favorites Finland in what ended up being a stunning 4-1 win for the Slovaks.
However, he never got a chance to see the Slovaks’ version of “Miracle on Ice”.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
Slovakia fans inside the arena before the match against Finland in the Men’s Ice Hockey Group B play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)
Police said they tracked down the suspect after he checked into a guesthouse in the Milan suburbs, then escorted him to the central San Vittore prison before he could join the fight.
The sentence stemmed from a series of alleged shoplifting incidents in 2010. He now has 11 months, seven days to serve, according to police.
Perhaps the fan would try to bring a piece home to his hockey team as they face the hosts in Italy on Friday. They close the preliminary round on Saturday against Sweden, another team that can certainly compete for the gold medal.
Juraj Slafkovsky of Slovakia in action during the men’s preliminary Group B match between Slovakia and Finland on day five of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 11, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (RvS.Media/Monika Majer/Getty Images)
U.S. SNOWBOARDER CLOE KIM BEATEN BY SOUTH KOREA’S GAON CHOI SNOW WITH SILVER IN WOMEN’S HALF PIPE
Slovakia won the bronze medal in Beijing when NHL players were not yet allowed to compete. Now they are led by Montreal Canadiens superstar Juraj Slafkovsky, who actually has Olympic experience.
Slafkovsky competed in 2022, having not yet been in the NHL. He was 17 at the time, the youngest player in the Olympics, but still managed to be the Olympics’ points leader and the tournament’s most valuable player.
Slafovsky scored twice against Finland, and Dalibor Dvorsky of St. Louis Blues got the game-winning goal with less than 13 minutes left.
Juraj Slafkovsky of Team Slovakia celebrates the team’s 4-1 victory in the men’s preliminary Group B match between Slovakia and Finland on day five of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 11, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Unfortunately, a fan will not be able to see the gang in action.
