quinn hughes delivers overtime winner to send Team USA to Olympic men's hockey semifinal
Quinn Hughes lifted a tense crowd in Milan and a nation watching from home when his overtime strike delivered a 2-1 quarterfinal victory for Team USA over Sweden on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 (ET). The result propels the Americans into the semifinal round, where they will face Slovakia on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 (ET).
Late drama, defensive battle through regulation
The game was a defensive chess match for long stretches. Both goaltenders kept the scoreboard blank for much of the contest as the two nations traded possession and chances. The breakthrough came late in the second period when Jack Hughes’ wrister took a fortunate deflection off Dylan Larkin and slipped past Sweden’s netminder to give the United States a 1-0 lead.
Sweden mounted pressure in the third period, forcing saves and scrambling a U. S. defensive structure that had been largely effective all game. An Adrian Kempe effort rattled the post with roughly 2: 30 remaining, a near-moment that would have swung momentum back toward the Swedes.
With under two minutes to play Sweden pulled their goalie for the extra attacker and got the equalizer when Mika Zibanejad slammed a one-timer from a Lucas Raymond feed to level the score. The Swedish push forced the contest into a 3-on-3, 10-minute sudden-death overtime where one play would decide which team advanced.
Overtime heroics from the blueline
The overtime period started with the Americans unable to find the net on their first five attempts. On the sixth, Quinn Hughes — known for his skating and puck skills from the blueline — fired a shot that hit the inside of the post and crossed the goal line, ending the game and sending the U. S. bench and supporters into celebration.
The winning goal underlined the importance of composed offensive pressure and opportunistic shooting in extra time. The U. S. goalie finished with a strong performance, stopping a high volume of shots through regulation and overtime. Sweden, despite dominating stretches late in regulation, were unable to convert their sustained pressure until it was too late to avoid sudden death.
What comes next and Olympic context
With the victory, the Americans advance to face Slovakia in a semifinal on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 (ET). On the other side of the bracket, Canada and Finland emerged from their quarterfinals to set up the second semifinal pairing. Notably, three of the four quarterfinal games went to overtime, underscoring how tightly contested the tournament has become.
The winners of Friday’s semifinals will meet for the gold medal on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026 (ET), a date that carries historical resonance for U. S. hockey fans. The American roster has shown a mix of veteran poise and youthful urgency, and the overtime triumph will give the team momentum heading into the later rounds.
Strategically, the U. S. will look to maintain its defensive structure while finding higher-percentage offense rather than relying on deflections alone. Special teams, disciplined penalty killing and goaltending consistency will be decisive in the semifinal matchup and any potential medal games.
For now, Quinn Hughes’ decisive strike provides a clear headline and a reminder of how single moments can tilt the balance in Olympic hockey. The Americans move on, and a hopeful nation will tune in to see if this team can parlay late-game resilience into a run for the podium.
