OLYMPICS: Ice hockey-US squeeze by Sweden into men's semi-finals

MILAN — Defenceman Quinn Hughes delivered an overtime winner to lift the United States past Sweden 2-1 in the men’s Olympic ice hockey quarter-final on Wednesday, setting up a semi-final clash with Slovakia.

Hughes fired a powerful slapshot from the slot, ending Sweden’s run and capping a tense, hard-fought match at Santagiulia Arena.

Sweden, considered one of the favorites to challenge the U.S. and Canada for gold, struggled after finishing a surprising third in their group and exited Milan empty-handed.

“We’ve got guys that have won Stanley Cups, reached deep in the playoffs, and superstars in the league,” Hughes said. “So I feel like it’s a resilient group with a lot of experience. We had an attack mindset in overtime.”

Hughes Lights the Fuse

Hughes also helped set up the game’s opening goal in the second period. He gained control of the puck and passed it to his younger brother, Jack Hughes, who fired a shot that Dylan Larkin redirected into the net.

The Americans seemed to have the win in hand until Sweden’s Mika Zibanejad scored with just 91 seconds remaining in regulation. New York Rangers coach Mike Sullivan, leading the U.S. team, could only watch from behind the bench.

Fans roared as the U.S. pushed in the fast-paced, three-on-three overtime. Hughes’ winning goal came off an assist from Minnesota Wild teammate Matt Boldy. His teammates sprinted onto the ice in a celebratory heap after the decisive goal.

The Milan quarter-finals delivered thrilling action across the board. Finland defeated Switzerland and Canada edged the Czech Republic, both in overtime. Finland will meet Canada in the other semi-final, while Slovakia had earlier beaten Germany in regulation.

“They’ve been rolling, they’re competitive, they’re fast,” Hughes said of Slovakia. “It doesn’t matter how many superstars you have—it’s all about the desperation level.”

-Reporting by Amy Tennery and Giulio Piovaccari in Milan; Editing by Bill Berkrot/Reuters