Minnesota Wild star Quinn Hughes (Canton, Mich./Minnesota Wild) scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lift the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team to a 2-1 victory over Sweden in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
With the win, Team USA will advance to the semifinals against Slovakia, set for Friday (Feb. 20) at 2:10 p.m. CT at Milano Santagiulia Arena.
“It was a great hockey game and I could not be more proud of our guys,” said Mike Sullivan, head coach of the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. “We beat an excellent hockey team in Sweden. We’ll enjoy tonight, and then turn our attention to Slovakia.”
Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass./Vegas Golden Knights) nearly opened the scoring at 10:21 of the first, ripping a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle, but his shot was gloved by Swedish netminder Jacob Markstrom.
Early in the middle stanza, Connor Hellebuyck (Commerce, Mich./Winnipeg Jets) denied Lucas Raymond on a shot from point-blank range to keep the game tied.
At the 11:03 mark, Quinn Hughes received the puck off an offensive-zone faceoff win and slid a pass to Jack Hughes (Canton, Mich./New Jersey Devils) at the point, who sent a one-timer in towards goal that was redirected by Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich./Detroit Red Wings) past Sweden netminder Jacob Markstrom for the go-ahead tally.
The one-goal lead held for a majority of the remainder of the contest, until with 1:31 left to play in regulation and Markstrom pulled for an extra attacker, Sweden’s Mika Zibanejad capitalized on a one-timer from the top off the left circle to level the game at one, eventually sending the contest to overtime.
At the 3:27 mark of the extra period, Quinn Hughes carried the puck into the slot and fired a wrist shot off the post and in, advancing Team USA to the semifinals with a 2-1 victory. Matt Boldy (Millis, Mass./Minnesota Wild) and Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz./Toronto Maple Leafs) recorded helpers on the tally.
Hellebuyck stopped 28 shots to earn the win in goal for the U.S.
NOTES: Team USA outshot Sweden, 40-29 … The U.S. went 0-2 on the power play while Sweden went 0-1
(info courtesy of USA Hockey)
