Team USA’s men’s hockey team spent most of Wednesday night playing with the kind of control coaches beg for in elimination games: steady puck pressure, clean exits, and long stretches where Sweden looked like it was running out of time.
Then Sweden reminded everyone how quickly an Olympic quarterfinal can flip.
Mika Zibanejad scored with 91 seconds left in regulation to tie the game, forcing overtime and briefly turning a U.S. advantage into a sudden question mark. The Americans answered anyway, winning 2 1 in overtime when defenseman Quinn Hughes scored the game winner to send the United States into the semifinals at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The United States will face Slovakia in the semifinal round.
A game that almost slipped
The U.S. opened the scoring in the second period when Dylan Larkin broke through to make it 1-0. Hughes and Jack Hughes assisted on the goal, giving Quinn Hughes a hand in the only scoring the Americans would manage for nearly the rest of regulation.
From there, the U.S. played the kind of game that usually gets teams through quarterfinals. The Americans generated chances, carried play for long stretches, and outshot Sweden 40-29. Sweden goalie Jacob Markstrom was busy and effective, turning aside 38 shots to keep the score within reach.
But Sweden stayed attached to the game, and with time draining away they found the one moment they needed.
Zibanejad’s tying goal came late in the third period after Sweden pulled its goalie. The goal leveled the score at 1-1 and forced overtime.
Quinn Hughes finishes it
Overtime did not last long enough for the U.S. to let the late tie linger.
Quinn Hughes scored the winner in overtime for the 2-1 final, lifting the Americans into the medal round and sending Sweden out of the tournament. Reuters reported Hughes’ game winner came on a slapshot, with Matt Boldy credited with an assist. ESPN reported Hughes described the moment simply: “Just relief.”
The win moves Team USA into a semifinal matchup with Slovakia, one of the surprises of the knockout stage.
What it means for Team USA
The United States entered the knockout stage as one of the tournament favorites, but Sweden provided the first true elimination test. The Americans controlled large portions of the game and still needed overtime to get through, the kind of reminder teams do not forget once the bracket tightens.
Now the U.S. is two wins from gold, with Slovakia standing between them and the championship game. The other side of the bracket features Canada and Finland meeting in the semifinals after each won its quarterfinal in overtime.
For one night, though, the story was simple: the U.S. led, Sweden equalized with 91 seconds left, and Quinn Hughes made sure it did not matter.
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