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

MILAN -- Quinn Hughes scored at 3:27 of overtime, giving Team USA a 2-1 quarterfinal win against Team Sweden in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 at Santagiulia Arena on Wednesday.

GAMECENTER SUMMARY: Sweden-USA

Hughes won it with a wrist shot from the top of the slot that went in off the right post.

Hughes added an assist, Dylan Larkin also scored, and Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves for the No. 2-seeded Americans.

Mika Zibanejad scored, and Jacob Markstrom made 38 saves for the No. 7-seeded Swedes.

The United States will play Team Slovakia, the No. 3 seed, in the semifinals Friday (3:10 p.m. ET; Peacock, NBC, ICI Tele, CBC Gem, CBC [JIP], TSN [JIP], RDS2). Team Canada, the top seed, faces Team Finland, the No. 4 seed (10:40 a.m. ET; Peacock, USA [JIP], ICI Tele, CBC Gem, CBC [JIP], SN [JIP], RDS2).

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

Zibanejad tied it 1-1 with 1:31 remaining in the third period, scoring with a one-timer from the left circle off a cross-ice pass by Lucas Raymond with Markstrom pulled for the extra attacker.

Larkin gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead at 11:03 of the second period. He scored from the edge of the crease with a redirection of Jack Hughes’ slap shot from just inside the blue line.

The goal came following a face-off win by Larkin, who then went straight to the net.

Quinn Hughes earned the secondary assist for his fifth assist of the tournament, tying Brian Leetch (five in 2002) for the most by an American defenseman in an Olympics with NHL participation.

The Minnesota Wild defenseman has had at least one assist in each of the four games, the longest run by an American player at an Olympics with NHL participation. He also tied Nicklas Lidstrom of Sweden (four in 2002) for the longest assist streak by a defenseman in an Olympics with NHL players.

The U.S. outshot Sweden 20-8 in the second period.

Sweden defenseman Victor Hedman sustained a lower-body injury in warmups and did not play. He was not replaced in the lineup and spent the game on the bench.