canada hockey survives overtime scare as USA squeaks past Sweden in quarter-finals
Two of the tournament favorites in men’s ice hockey were pushed to the brink on Wednesday, as the United States and Canada required overtime to avoid stunning exits in the quarter-finals. The Americans edged Sweden 2-1 after Quinn Hughes scored in extra time, while Canada rallied past the Czech Republic 4-3 when Mitch Marner netted the winner. Canada also lost captain Sidney Crosby to an injury early in their game, creating fresh concern for the team ahead of the semifinals.
United States: Quinn Hughes redeems late lapse with OT winner
The U. S. survived a dramatic finish to regulation in their quarter-final with Sweden. Dylan Larkin opened the scoring in regulation by deflecting a shot from Jack Hughes for what proved to be the only goal in the first 60 minutes. Sweden tied the game in the final two minutes when Mika Zibanejad finished off a late surge with 91 seconds remaining, forcing overtime.
Quinn Hughes, who had been at the center of the late drama after conceding the tying goal, buried the decisive tally in sudden death to lift the Americans into the semifinals. "Just relief, " Hughes said after the win, capturing what many of his teammates admitted they felt after surviving a scare. The victory sends the U. S. on to face Slovakia in one semifinal on Friday night (ET).
canada hockey: rally, overtime heroics and a worrying injury to Crosby
Canada’s path to the last four was even more turbulent. The Canadians fell behind twice against the Czech Republic before rallying. Macklin Celebrini and Nathan MacKinnon each scored to keep Canada in the mix, but the Czechs answered through Lukas Sedlák, David Pastrňák and Ondřej Palát, with Palát’s late strike — coming with roughly 7: 42 left — sparking wild celebration on the Czech bench.
Nick Suzuki provided the crucial equalizer, redirecting Devon Toews’ point shot past the Czech goaltender with 3: 27 remaining in regulation. Canada then survived a heart-stopping moment when Jordan Binnington stood tall to deny David Pastrňák on a late breakaway with about 70 seconds left, sending the game into extra time.
Marner finished the job 1: 22 into the three-on-three overtime, using a backhand finish to send Canada through to the semifinals. Coach Jon Cooper praised Marner’s knack for big plays, saying of his winger, "It's the it-factor, man: Mitch Marner’s got it. He doesn’t disappoint. " Drew Doughty admitted the game had been nerve-racking but said he never doubted the team’s ability to pull through.
However, the win was tempered by the loss of Sidney Crosby. Crosby left the contest about five minutes into the second period after his right leg appeared to buckle as he braced for contact involving a rugged Czech defenseman; he was then slammed into the boards and did not return. The team said an update on Crosby’s condition is expected on Thursday (ET). The early exit of the captain injects uncertainty into Canada’s run, which now advances to face Finland in the other semifinal on Friday (ET).
What these results mean for the medal picture
Both North American powerhouses had been viewed as heavy favorites with the return of NHL players to the Olympic tournament, but Wednesday’s matches underlined how thin the margin is even for star-studded squads. Momentum and health will be decisive over the next 48 hours: the U. S. must re-center after a late scare, while Canada will try to regroup without their captain if the injury keeps him sidelined.
Friday’s semifinals (ET) now set up a high-stakes night of hockey, with the United States taking on Slovakia and Canada meeting Finland. Expect tight, tactical affairs where goaltending and late-game composure could decide who plays for gold.
