With a win over Sweden, the U.S. men’s hockey team will play for an Olympic medal

MILAN — For 5 terrifying minutes on Wednesday evening, the U.S. males’s hockey group’s desires had been one objective away from ending far earlier than they’d hoped.

As an alternative, the Individuals will advance to the Olympic semifinals — and a assured likelihood to play for what could be the group’s first medal since 2010 — after successful an time beyond regulation thriller 2-1 within the quarterfinal recreation in opposition to Sweden.

“We acquired guys which have received [Stanley] Cups and gone deep within the playoffs and superstars within the league, so I really feel prefer it’s a resilient group and quite a lot of expertise. You simply decide your self again up, get able to go,” mentioned defenseman Quinn Hughes, who scored the game-winning objective 3:27 into additional time.

Within the first three video games in Milan, Staff USA had scored 5 targets, then six targets, then 5 once more. However on Wednesday, in opposition to a Swedish group that had fallen unexpectedly to the No. 7 seed after getting upset within the preliminary stage of the Olympic event, the Individuals wanted heroics on the defensive aspect to remain alive.

U.S. goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who final 12 months was named the NHL’s most precious participant, saved all however one among Sweden’s 29 pictures on objective. The one, although, got here with simply 91 seconds to play in regulation, on a one-timer from Sweden ahead Mika Zibanejad from the faceoff circle to tie the sport.

Then, a tense, fast-paced 3-on-3 time beyond regulation adopted, ending with the sudden-death objective from Hughes previous the outstretched glove of Sweden’s goaltender, Jacob Markstrom.

Afterward, U.S. teammate Matthew Tkachuk mentioned he wasn’t certain at first if the puck had gone in or bounced off the submit. “However as soon as I heard the roar and [saw] him begin to have a good time, it was undoubtedly the very best I’ve jumped since my surgical procedure,” joked Tkachuk, who underwent an operation final summer season to restore a torn adductor muscle and sports activities hernia. “So I might need to get the froth curler out afterwards.”

The Individuals took a 1-0 lead within the second interval when ahead Dylan Larkin redirected a rocket from ahead Jack Hughes (brother of teammate Quinn Hughes) over Markstrom’s shoulder.

However Staff USA didn’t convert on a number of alternatives to pad that lead, resulting in a tense third interval because the Swedes mounted likelihood after likelihood earlier than their late-game equalizer.

“That is what occurs whenever you put two actually good groups collectively. You suppose that it’ll be a high-flying offense, but it surely’s truly fairly the alternative,” mentioned winger Tkachuk. “It took one man to make a play on the finish, and that was Quinn.”

The win means the U.S. males may have the prospect to play for a medal it doesn’t matter what occurs in Friday’s semifinal in opposition to Slovakia. A win will ship the Individuals by means of to the gold medal match on Sunday, whereas a loss would set them up for Saturday’s bronze medal match.

“It will be an enormous, big check for us,” mentioned Tkachuk. “Their goalie’s taking part in unimaginable. Our goalie is taking part in unimaginable. It will make for a hell of a semifinal.”

Canada survives its personal time beyond regulation recreation

On the opposite aspect of the bracket, Canada survived an upset bid by Czechia, who led 3-2 with lower than 8 minutes to play within the third interval. A loss would have been surprising; Canada’s roster is stacked with many of the sport’s finest lively gamers, from three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner Connor McDavid to the 19-year-old phenom Macklin Celebrini.

“It is by no means enjoyable, you already know, six minutes left, them scoring a objective — however that is hockey. It is Olympic hockey,” mentioned Nathan MacKinnon. “We performed a fairly strong recreation. It wasn’t excellent, however adequate.”

Staff captain Sidney Crosby, who received Olympic gold within the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, left the sport within the second interval with a decrease leg harm after a pair of powerful collisions with Czech gamers. It was unclear if or when Crosby would return.