Mens Usa Hockey: Quinn Hughes OT Goal Sends mens usa hockey to Semifinals

Quinn Hughes ripped the game-winning slapshot 3: 27 into overtime to give the United States a 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Sweden, advancing the second-seeded side to face No. 3 Slovakia in Friday’s semifinal. The mens usa hockey squad reached the final four after a sudden-death finish in a tournament night where three of four quarterfinals went to extra time.

Mens Usa Hockey overtime winner

Hughes’ overtime shot beat Sweden’s goaltender to end the quarterfinal in sudden-death fashion, delivering a 2-1 result. The extra session at these Olympics is played 3-on-3 and is sudden death; the U. S. controlled the puck in the extra session and converted on the decisive chance to finish the night.

mens usa hockey semifinal outlook

The U. S. will meet Slovakia on Friday in the semifinals after Slovakia advanced with a 6-2 quarterfinal win over Germany. Slovakia’s multi-goal quarterfinal shows offensive firepower that the U. S. will now prepare for; if Slovakia sustains the scoring that produced six goals in its last match, the American defense and goaltending will face a stern test in the next round.

How the game unfolded

The Americans took the lead in the second period on a goal by Dylan Larkin. U. S. goaltender Connor Hellebuyck kept Sweden off the board through most of regulation, with the Swedes tied only when Mika Zibanejad scored a 6-on-5 one-timer with 1: 31 remaining after Sweden had pulled its goaltender. That late equalizer forced overtime, where Hughes finished the game.

Goaltending and shot totals

Hellebuyck finished with 29 saves on 30 shots. Sweden’s netminder faced a heavy U. S. attack, registering 38 saves on 40 shots. Those tallies underline how tight the game was: a single late regulation equalizer and one overtime strike decided the matchup.

Key takeaways from quarterfinals

• Three of the four quarterfinal games were decided in overtime, highlighting the tournament’s parity.
• Slovakia’s 6-2 win over Germany produced the highest-scoring quarterfinal result and sets up a contrast in styles for Friday’s semifinal.
• The U. S. advances after a late regulation tie and an overtime winner, moving on to face Slovakia for a spot in the gold-medal game.

Friday’s semifinal pairings are set: the United States faces Slovakia, and the other semifinal pits Canada against Finland, with the winners advancing to the gold-medal game. The U. S. will look to carry the momentum from its overtime victory while preparing for Slovakia’s recent scoring burst.