The United States has secured a spot in the 2026 Winter Olympic semi-finals after a hard-fought 2-1 overtime victory against Sweden in the quarter-final.
Star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was the standout performer, making 28 saves on 29 Swedish shots and providing a foundation of confidence for his team. His .966 save percentage in this game further solidifies his tournament-leading stats.
"When you have a guy like that back there, it kind of stems confidence throughout the whole group," said USA forward Matt Boldy after the game. Hellebuyck himself emphasized the team's ultimate goal, stating, "We came here for the big one."
Dylan Larkin and Mika Zibanejad scored in regulation time, before Quinn Hughes netted the decisive overtime winner. The USA will now face Slovakia in the semi-final on Friday, moving one step closer to an Olympic medal.