MILAN – Quinn Hughes was once that young player. Now he is that standout athlete.
Hughes recalls being a youth hockey player, captivated by his idols on the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team while watching them on television.
He remembers the excitement he shared with his brothers Jack and Luke, jumping in joy when Zach Parise scored the equalizing goal against Canada in the gold-medal match of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. And, indeed, Hughes is aware of how the game concluded afterward.
“I remember in 2010 when Canada defeated the U.S. and we were in Toronto at that time watching in this rink, and everyone erupted when Crosby scored, so that was a tough moment for us Americans surrounded by Canadians,” Hughes stated.
Hughes elaborated at the U.S. Olympic Men’s Orientation Camp in August that when he steps onto the ice at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, he aims to represent all the children who will be cheering for Team USA just as he did 16 years ago.
“I am playing for all the U.S. kids who are passionate about USA Hockey and want to see us succeed, or anyone involved with USA Hockey who has been part of the organization and desires success,” Hughes remarked.
On Wednesday, Hughes certainly provided youth hockey players and all American hockey enthusiasts with a moment they will always remember when he struck a shot off the right post and past Sweden’s Jacob Markstrom just 3:27 into overtime, securing Team USA a thrilling 2-1 victory in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
Chaos erupted inside Milano Santagiulia Arena as a wave of blue jerseys surrounded Hughes on the ice.
“Just relief,” Hughes expressed regarding the emotion of the moment. “I have been enjoying wearing the crest and playing with the superstars on our team, getting to know these guys in the (Olympic) Village, and all of it. I just wanted to extend it as long as I can."
Hughes’ heroics followed a dramatic finish late in the third period. Mika Zibanejad had equalized for Sweden with 91 seconds left in the game while Markstrom was pulled for an extra attacker.
"That sucks, obviously,” Hughes commented. “You have to pick yourself back up. I have been saying all along that we have players who have won (Stanley) Cups and gone deep in the playoffs, and are superstars in the league. "It is a resilient group with a lot of experience, so you just pick yourself back up and get ready to go, and we had an attack mindset in overtime."
Hughes missed the 4 Nations Face-Off last year due to injury, and many anticipated he would be a pivotal player at the Olympics. He took charge for the U.S. during the 3-on-3 overtime period when he received a pass from Matt Boldy along the left boards and maneuvered toward the center of the ice before unleashing his shot off the post.
“I created some space for myself, took it to my forehand where I wanted it and got a shot off,” Hughes explained. “It is a resilient group with a lot of experience, so you just pick yourself back up and get ready to go, and I think we had an attack mindset in overtime."
Hughes logged a team-high 27:31 of ice time, and Boldy noted that the strategy for overtime was quite straightforward with Hughes on the roster.
“He is an absolute force, the player you want to have with the puck, and he stepped up significantly. Give it to Quinn. Typically, that is the game plan when he is out there. He is so talented, not only in creating shots but also in generating lanes and opportunities. The most important thing is he wants the puck. He wants to have it and make a difference, and that’s what makes him exceptional.”
Brady Tkachuk added, “That was one of the best feelings I have ever experienced. “Just the relief of scoring that goal and knowing it was [Quinn]. That illustrates why he is one of the best defensemen in the world.”
Captain Auston Matthews recorded an assist on the game-winning goal and confidently raised his stick high as Hughes’ shot found the net.
“It's do or die,” Matthews stated. “It's win or go home. We won in overtime, so obviously there's a lot at stake there.”
Dylan Larkin broke the scoreless tie when he redirected a pass from Jack Hughes with 8:57 remaining in the second period. Quinn also assisted on the goal alongside his brother, and he has registered at least one assist in all four U.S. games.
“What a game and what a tense overtime,” Larkin, who has been a mentor to the Hughes brothers and trains with them during the summer, remarked. “To secure the win in a crucial match like that is incredible. It was such a close game. Scoring first, I thought we had the advantage in shots and wore them down, but they pushed in the third (period) and got one late, but I felt we deserved to win, and we did.”
Connor Hellebuyck made several key saves throughout the game to keep Sweden at bay, finishing with 28 saves. Despite the late goal from Zibanejad, Hellebuyck was relatively strong in the third period, with the U.S. being outshot 10-4 and Sweden applying pressure late.
The U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team is now two victories away from bringing home a gold medal to the U.S. for the first time since the 1980 Miracle on Ice. Team USA has also secured its first medal in men’s hockey since the Vancouver Games.
“Unbelievable, unbelievable,” Larkin stated. “It’s what we dream about. I was concerned about this game, but now it’s time to focus on the next one.”
The U.S. will next face Slovakia in the semifinals on Friday at 3:10 p.m. ET (NBC | Peacock). Slovakia advanced to the semifinals by defeating Germany 6-2.
“It’s going to be an extremely tough challenge,” Hughes remarked. “They’ve been on a roll. They’re competitive. They’re fast, and it doesn’t matter how many superstars you have or what not. It’s just a desperation level that is so high. It is a Game 7 every night now, and we’ll have to be prepared. I am sure we will rest up for the next day and be ready to go.”
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