Team USA beat Sweden 2–1 in additional time on Wednesday, due 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 within the quarter-final at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Sweden got here on the U.S. with 29 shots overall and even outshot them 10–3 within the third, however the American goalie held strong, letting in just Mika Zibanejad’s empty-net goal with 1:31 left. In additional time, Team Sweden didn’t register a single shot, while america generated six.
Following the win, Hellebuyck made his objective clear:
“We didn’t come here for an Olympic medal. We got here here for the massive one.”
Through three Olympic appearances, Hellebuyck has conceded just three goals, stopping 68 of 71 shots. He leads the boys’s tournament with a 0.98 goals-against average and a .958 save percentage. His quarter-final showing got here against a Swedish side featuring 25 NHL players, in a game where all 50 skaters were from the league.
This was night and day in comparison with 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 bottom amongst goaltenders who played greater than 4 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 US outshot Sweden 40–29 overall and 20–9 within the second period. Team Sweden tied the sport seven seconds after pulling Markstrom for an additional attacker. In additional time, Quinn Hughes ended the competition at 3:27, beating Markstrom after being on the ice for two:03 of the additional frame.
Team USA, 0-for-2 on the facility play in the sport while Sweden went 0-for-1, now advances to face Slovakia in Friday’s semi-final, with a berth within the gold medal game on the road.