Team USA beat Sweden 2–1 in overtime on Wednesday, thanks to a clutch performance from Connor Hellebuyck in net, sending the team into the Winter Olympics semi-finals.
Hellebuyck stopped 28 of 29 shots, producing a .966 save percentage in the quarter-final at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Sweden came at the U.S. with 29 shots overall and even outshot them 10–3 in the third, but the American goalie held strong, letting in only Mika Zibanejad's empty-net goal with 1:31 left. In overtime, Team Sweden failed to register a single shot, while the United States generated six.
Following the win, Hellebuyck made his objective clear:
“We didn’t come here for an Olympic medal. We came here for the big one.”
Through three Olympic appearances, Hellebuyck has conceded just three goals, stopping 68 of 71 shots. He leads the men's tournament with a 0.98 goals-against average and a .958 save percentage. His quarter-final showing came against a Swedish side featuring 25 NHL players, in a game where all 50 skaters were from the league.
This was night and day compared to his recent NHL playoff numbers. Over his last three postseason runs with the Winnipeg Jets, Hellebuyck posted a .872 save percentage and a 3.60 goals-against average across 23 games. In last season's playoffs, he recorded a 3.08 GAA and an .866 save percentage, the lowest among goaltenders who played more than four games.
At 11:03 of the second period on Wednesday, Dylan Larkin opened the scoring by redirecting a shot from Quinn Hughes and Jack Hughes past Swedish goaltender Jacob Markstrom. The United States outshot Sweden 40–29 overall and 20–9 in the second period. Team Sweden tied the game seven seconds after pulling Markstrom for an extra attacker. In overtime, Quinn Hughes ended the contest at 3:27, beating Markstrom after being on the ice for 2:03 of the extra frame.
Team USA, 0-for-2 on the power play in the game while Sweden went 0-for-1, now advances to face Slovakia in Friday's semi-final, with a berth in the gold medal game on the line.
