olympic mens hockey — Quinn Hughes' OT winner sends USA past Sweden into semifinals
The United States advanced to the semifinals of the Olympic mens hockey tournament with a 2-1 overtime victory over Sweden on Wednesday. Quinn Hughes finished the game 3: 27 into the 3-on-3 extra session to send the Americans through, setting up a Friday semifinal against Slovakia.
How the quarterfinal played out
The tight contest remained scoreless until midway through the second period, when Dylan Larkin redirected a Jack Hughes one-timer for the game's opening goal. The U. S. carried that lead deep into the third, but Sweden pulled its goalie and Mika Zibanejad tied the game with 1: 31 left in regulation on an extra-attacker strike.
Overtime was decided in the 3-on-3 format. Quinn Hughes created space on a rush and finished cleanly 3: 27 into the period to end the game, sparking celebration from his teammates and relief from a U. S. bench that had weathered a late push from a Sweden lineup missing one of its top defensemen due to an injury sustained in warmups.
Goalies, key moments and battle at both ends
Netminding became the focal point of the contest. Sweden’s starter turned in a busy performance with more than three dozen saves, keeping his team alive through long stretches. The American goaltender answered with timely stops of his own, including a couple of outstanding saves on Sweden’s most dangerous threats in the first two periods.
Several sequences swung the momentum. Late in the first, a breakaway by a Swedish forward was stopped by the U. S. goalie, and early in the second a dangerous backdoor chance was denied on a sprawling pad save. The scoring chance created by Jack Hughes’ shot that Larkin tipped in proved to be the difference for regulation time, but Sweden’s decision to pull the goalie paid off when Zibanejad finished off a scramble in the final two minutes.
Defensive discipline and special-teams composure mattered throughout. Neither side managed to convert on their late man-advantage opportunities in regulation, and the sudden-space dynamics of 3-on-3 overtime ultimately favored the U. S. breakout and finishing touch from Quinn Hughes.
What this means for the tournament and next steps
With the victory, the U. S. moves into the semifinal round and will meet Slovakia on Friday. The win keeps the American medal hopes alive and provides a confidence boost heading into the knockout phase, where quick transitions and puck management will be decisive.
For Sweden, the loss ends a run that included several strong team performances in pool play. The team showed depth and produced scoring chances, but the absence of a veteran defenseman in the lineup and a failure to solve the U. S. goaltender on a few key chances proved costly.
Individual takeaways are clear: the U. S. forward core continues to produce in big moments, a young defense with puck movers can create the chances needed in tight games, and elite goalkeeping remains the backbone of any deep Olympic run. Friday’s semifinal presents a different stylistic test, and the Americans will turn their attention to preparation and recovery between now and game time.
