Quinn Hughes' OT goal lifts United States past Sweden in Olympic quarterfinals

MILAN -- Team USA had a plan when its quarterfinal showdown against Team Sweden went to overtime in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 on Wednesday.

“Give it to Quinn. That is usually the game plan when he is out there,” United States forward Matt Boldy said.

It was executed to perfection as defenseman Quinn Hughes scored at 3:27 to give the U.S. a 2-1 victory at Santagiulia Arena.

“That was one of the best feelings I have ever had,” U.S. forward Brady Tkachuk said. “Just the relief of scoring that goal and seeing it was [Quinn]. That shows why he is one of the best defensemen in the world.”

The Minnesota Wild defenseman took over upon entering the attacking zone during 3-on-3 play, making it a one-man show.

“Just created some space for myself, got it to my forehand where I wanted and got a shot off,” he said.

The shot from the top of the slot snuck inside the right post, beating Jacob Markstrom, who was outstanding throughout the game and made 38 saves.

GAMECENTER SUMMARY: Sweden-USA

With the win, the No. 2-seeded U.S. advanced to the semifinals and will play Team Slovakia, the No. 3 seed, on Friday (3:10 p.m. ET; Peacock, NBC, ICI Télé, CBC Gem, RDS2).

Top-seeded Team Canada plays Team Finland, the No. 4 seed, in the other semifinal Friday (10:40 a.m. ET; Peacock, USA, ICI Télé, CBC Gem, RDS2, CBC).

Hughes said he was having too much fun on and off the ice to see the Americans’ ride end in the quarterfinals.

“You just want to extend it as long as you can,” he said.

The game was extended when Mika Zibanejad tied it 1-1 for Sweden with 1:31 remaining in the third period, beating Connor Hellebuyck with a one-timer from the left face-off circle off a cross-ice pass by Lucas Raymond with Markstrom pulled for the extra attacker.

Hellebuyck said he thought he had made the save because he got the push across he wanted, and that he thought the shot had gone through the side of the net.

Hellebuyck said that as soon as he saw the replay, he was able to clear his mind. His team was playing well, and he still believed.

“That’s hockey, you don’t shut [them] out every night,” said Hellebuyck, who made 28 saves. “If you are playing the right way and you feel like you should win, you usually get the result.”

The Swedes felt the same. They thought the goal was the lifeline they needed. They were playing the right way, taking it to the Americans in the third period, dominating long stretches of play.

Team USA was on its heels, until Hughes decided otherwise.

It was hard for the losing team to process what happened.

“Just empty,” Zibanejad said, struggling with his emotions. “It’s tough. I thought we pushed the whole third and to get the tying goal and get ourselves to overtime and then to see the puck go in for them and you know it’s over, it’s tough.”

It wasn’t much easier for the Americans, said forward Dylan Larkin, who opened the scoring for the U.S. in the second period.

“That’s as nervous as I’ve been ever in a hockey game, I can say,” he said. “Just the way 3-on-3 goes, it’s just being opportunistic. Someone could fall, the puck could bounce, anything could happen.

“I calmed down a lot when I saw Quinny get it and said, ‘I’m glad we’ve got that guy.’”

The Americans bolted off the bench, celebrating a great escape.

They survived a calamity similar to the one that doomed Team Czechia against Canada in an earlier quarterfinal Wednesday. The Czechs led 3-2 late in the third only to give up a late goal in regulation and lose 4-3 in overtime.

The Americans hope this lesson will serve them well in their continuing chase for gold, a medal that has eluded them at the Olympics since 1980.

That 6-on-5 goal by Zibanejad had tournament-wrecker written all over it. But the Americans refused to heed its message.

“Probably it’s something that can deflate you and end your tournament if you don’t just put your mind back in a good spot,” Tkachuk said. “I think it just shows our character to get that win.”

WATCH: Men's Hockey Highlights from the Olympic Winter Games

The Swedish players had shown character too, clawing their way back after refusing to surrender.

The pain was evident on their faces as they trudged off the ice.

“That’s a tough one,” defenseman Erik Karlsson said. “I think we gave ourselves the chance to win this match. Now, we didn’t, so it’s unfortunate that we didn’t have a little bit more to give.

“Quarterfinal or not, I think that we all believed that we were a better team that had higher aspirations to go further in this tournament. Realizing the hard truth that wasn’t the case this time.”

Hughes also factored into the Larkin goal at 11:03 of the second. Larkin scored from the edge of the crease with a redirection of Jack Hughes’ slap shot from just inside the blue line. The secondary assist for Quinn Hughes was his fifth assist of the tournament.

Hughes has had at least one assist in each of the United States’ four games, the longest run by an American player at an Olympics with NHL participation. He also tied Nicklas Lidstrom of Sweden (2002 Salt Lake City Olympics) for the longest assist streak by a defenseman in an Olympics with NHL players.

NOTES: Sweden defenseman Victor Hedman did not play after sustaining a lower-body injury during warmups. He was in uniform on the bench for the entire game. … The U.S. will play in the semifinals at the Olympics for the fifth time overall and fourth time in six tournaments with NHL players.