olympic mens hockey: Sweden defeats Latvia, sets up quarterfinal showdown with United States
MILAN — Sweden delivered a statement performance in the Olympic men’s hockey tournament, beating Latvia 5-1 to secure a quarterfinal meeting with the United States on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 at 3: 10 p. m. ET. The win pushed Sweden to three victories in four games at Milan Cortina and reasserted the team among the favorites in the knockout phase.
Sweden’s balanced attack fuels convincing victory
The Swedes showcased depth and chemistry throughout the contest. Mika Zibanejad, William Nylander and Gabriel Landeskog each finished with a goal and an assist, while Filip Forsberg and Adrian Kempe also got on the scoresheet. Lucas Raymond recorded three assists, and Jacob Markstrom made 20 saves to earn his second win after moving into goal for the last two games.
Sweden opened the scoring midway through the first period on a sequence that began with a defensive-zone turnover. Kempe’s tally at 10: 55 came after a loose puck deflected to teammate Joel Eriksson Ek; on the next shift, Landeskog converted following a ricochet off Raymond to make it 2-0 inside a span of 41 seconds.
Forsberg’s redirected goal early in the second extended the lead to 3-0, marking his first goal of the Olympics. The late stages of the game saw Zibanejad, Nylander and Landeskog contributing again to round out the scoring, underscoring Sweden’s multi-line threat and its ability to capitalize on small openings.
Erik Karlsson called it the team’s most complete game, praising the collective effort. “It felt like everyone did what they needed to do, ” he said, framing the matchup with the United States as the challenge Sweden came to Milan to face.
Quarterfinal preview: a heavyweight clash
The upcoming Sweden–United States quarterfinal is now set to be one of the marquee matchups of the knockout round. Sweden enters on a wave of confidence from a night where its forecheck and defensive structure limited high-danger chances, while offensive contributions came from multiple lines rather than a single unit.
Key storylines heading into the Wednesday afternoon game include goaltending matchups and special teams execution. Markstrom’s recent form gives Sweden a steady presence in net, while the American squad will rely on its own blend of speed and physicality to test Sweden’s zone exits and puck management. Expect both teams to emphasize disciplined gap control and to try to force turnovers that can be converted by transition attackers.
Karlsson framed the meeting as a sought-after test for Sweden. “It’s a challenge, it’s a fun challenge. That’s why we came here to play these guys, ” he said. The Swedes know they must sustain the fundamentals that showed up against Latvia — forechecking pressure, tight defensive positioning, and smart puck placement — to advance.
Latvia’s tournament ends with lessons and missed chances
Elvis Merzlikins finished with 23 saves in a losing effort, and Eduards Tralmaks tallied Latvia’s lone goal. While Latvia leaves Milan with one win in four games, there were signs the team competed in stretches but paid for small lapses against a high-end opponent that converts mistakes.
Veteran forward Zemgus Girgensons expressed disappointment at the final result but pointed to resilience in parts of the performance. “Going out with a loss is never easy. We held it together pretty well. It was small breaks of chances that we gave up that we probably could have eliminated, ” he said, adding that teams at this level will capitalize on those openings.
For Sweden, the victory is a timely reminder of the depth that makes them a dangerous knockout-stage opponent. For Latvia, the tournament provided experience and clarity on areas that need shoring up ahead of future international competitions.
The quarterfinal between Sweden and the United States on Wednesday at 3: 10 p. m. ET promises to be a pivotal moment in the Olympic men’s hockey bracket — a true test of top-end talent, team structure and execution under pressure.
