Quinn Hughes' overtime goal sends U.S. to Olympic men's hockey semifinals
quinn hughes fired a blistering overtime wrist shot that sailed past Sweden’s goaltender to lift the United States to a 2-1 quarterfinal victory and into the Olympic semifinals, keeping American medal hopes alive.
Quinn Hughes' overtime wrist shot
The decisive moment came with 6: 33 remaining in extra time, when the puck left Hughes’ stick with notable speed and rose toward the net, slipping past Jacob Markström’s left glove. Hughes celebrated emphatically as the puck crossed the goal line, ending a game that had been tied after 60 minutes of play.
Path to the semifinals
The U. S. opened the scoring in the second period when a shot from just inside the blue line was tipped in to make it 1-0. Sweden pulled its goalie late in regulation to gain a man advantage and tied the game with a cross-ice feed converted by a one-timer, forcing overtime. Both starting goaltenders were strong earlier; the first period ended scoreless after several key saves from each netminder.
With the win the Americans improved to 4-0 in the tournament. The victory sends the U. S. into a semifinal matchup with Slovakia on Friday (ET). A win in that game would guarantee a medal for the first time since the 2010 Winter Games; a loss would leave the United States playing for bronze.
U. S. outlook and next opponent
The Americans face a quick turnaround into the semifinal against a Slovakian team that has been described by teammates as dangerous and playing well in the tournament. The roster’s undefeated record entering the semifinal offers momentum, and players said they prefer to decide the next game in regulation, though they feel confident if overtime is required.
Offensively, the U. S. benefited from a mix of sustained pressure and a timely deflection that produced the first goal, then leaned on individual creation in overtime for the winner. Defensively, the team held strong through pressure late in regulation until the tiebreaking chance in extra time.
What Hughes said after the game
Hughes described the goal as “a relief” and spoke about enjoying the experience with his teammates and trying to extend their time together in the tournament. On the winning play, he said he tried to create space, got the puck to his forehand and got a shot off.
He also expressed pride in representing the United States, calling it “the greatest country in the world” and saying he was happy to represent it with his teammates. Teammates noted the importance of the win while warning that the road to a medal remains difficult; one player emphasized that Slovakia has big, dangerous players and that the U. S. must be ready.
Key takeaway: quinn hughes delivered an overtime winner that ended Sweden's challenge and advanced the U. S. to the semifinals, where a victory would secure a first Olympic hockey medal for the Americans since 2010.
