olympic mens hockey: Quinn Hughes' OT winner lifts USA past Sweden, U.S. to face Slovakia in semis
Quinn Hughes ended a tense quarterfinal with a 3-on-3 overtime strike, sending the United States to a 2-1 victory over Sweden on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The win moves the Americans into the semifinals, where they will meet Slovakia on Friday, Feb. 20 (ET).
How the quarterfinal played out
The game remained scoreless until midway through the second period, when Dylan Larkin redirected a Jack Hughes point shot from close range to give the U. S. the lead. Sweden pulled its goaltender late in the third for an extra attacker and Mika Zibanejad forced overtime with a 6-on-5 equalizer with 1: 31 left in regulation.
Overtime settled quickly. With the game in 3-on-3 sudden death, Quinn Hughes finished a quick transition and beat the Swedish netminder 3: 27 into the extra session to seal the victory. The goal punctuated an even, physical contest that hinged on a handful of high-leverage plays rather than wide-open offense.
Standouts, goaltending duel and roster notes
Netminders were central to the game's drama. Sweden's Jacob Markström turned in a marathon performance, finishing with 37 saves and keeping his team alive deep into the third period. The American goalie faced fewer shots but made critical stops throughout the contest; his calm positioning on several rush chances helped keep the U. S. within striking distance.
Offensively, Larkin's redirection delivered the go-ahead marker that had eluded the Americans in earlier tournament games. The Hughes brothers again played pivotal roles; Jack Hughes' point shot created the chance for Larkin, and Quinn produced the decisive finish in overtime. The chemistry among key U. S. forwards — many of whom train together in the offseason — showed up in clutch moments.
Sweden battled without elite defenseman Victor Hedman after he suffered a lower-body injury in warmups. His absence was felt in traffic around the net and in late-game defensive matchups. Sweden still produced dangerous looks from forwards, including multiple rushes by their top attackers that required timely saves to preserve the American lead.
What this means next for Team USA
The United States will turn its attention to Slovakia and a semifinal date on Friday, Feb. 20 (ET). The win restores momentum for a squad that has been finding form incrementally across the tournament; overcoming a top-tier opponent in a playoff atmosphere should bolster confidence heading into medal-round play.
Coaching staff emphasized a short reset after the emotional overtime victory. "It was a great hockey game and I could not be more proud of our guys, " the U. S. head coach said after the game. "We beat an excellent hockey team in Sweden. We’ll enjoy tonight, and then turn our attention to Slovakia. "
Sweden exits the tournament still viewed as one of the deeper teams, but the injury to a key blueliner and a single-goal loss in knockout play underline how small margins decide medal hopes at these Games. For the Americans, the path to the final now runs through Friday's semifinal, where execution in special teams, goaltending and late-game composure will be decisive.
The Milan–Cortina Winter Games continue to deliver tightly contested matchups, and this quarterfinal will be remembered as one where goaltending and opportunistic scoring determined who advanced to the medal rounds.
