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USA Men’s Hockey Faces Sweden in Wednesday Quarterfinal After Dominant Prelims

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  • Tage Thompson, second right, celebrates after scoring the U.S.'s fourth goal against Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
    Tage Thompson, second right, celebrates after scoring the U.S.'s fourth goal against Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    Tage Thompson, second right, celebrates after scoring the U.S.'s fourth goal against Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
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Quarterfinal matchup set for Wednesday afternoon The United States will meet Sweden at 3:10 p.m. ET in the men’s hockey quarterfinal on February 18, 2026, with the game streaming on NBC, Peacock and NBC Olympics [1][2][3]. The contest follows the Olympic schedule released on February 17, which listed the USA‑Sweden pairing among four quarterfinals [3]. A win sends the U.S. to a likely gold‑medal showdown on Sunday.

USA enters with perfect preliminary record The Americans posted 5‑1 victories over Latvia and Germany and a 6‑3 win against Denmark in the round‑robin, outscoring opponents 16‑5 [1][2][3]. Coach Mike Sullivan locked in veteran goaltender Connor Hellebuyck as the starter after those performances [1][2][3]. The clean sweep positions the U.S. as a top contender heading into the knockout round.

Sweden reaches quarterfinal as seventh seed Sweden qualified by defeating Latvia and entered the round‑robin as the seventh seed after a goal‑differential tiebreaker [1][2][3]. Their 5‑3 round‑robin win included a late goal allowed in the final minute, underscoring the tight competition for seeding [1][2][3]. The Swedes now face the United States in Wednesday’s elimination game.

NHL players return to Olympic ice after 12‑year hiatus This tournament marks the first Winter Games since 2014 to allow active NHL athletes to compete, raising the event’s profile and competitive depth [1][2]. The presence of current professionals adds prestige and draws heightened viewership to the hockey matches [1][2].

Other Olympic highlights include Shiffrin and snowboard slopestyle Alpine star Mikaela Shiffrin placed 15th in the team‑combine slalom and 11th in the giant slalom, then prepares for the individual slalom on Wednesday morning [1][2]. The men’s snowboard slopestyle final begins at 5:20 a.m. ET, featuring Canada’s Mark McMorris—returning from a concussion—U.S. champion Red Gerard and 17‑year‑old Ollie Martin [1][2].

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Timeline

Feb 5, 2026 – The United States women’s team defeats Czechia 5‑1 in the opening match; Hayley Scamurra scores twice in just 6:45 of ice time and coach John Wroblewski calls her “indispensable,” while Laila Edwards records an assist as the first Black woman to play Olympic hockey for the U.S.; rookie goalie Aerin Frankel makes 13 saves and Czech coach Carla MacLeod says the loss provides a foundation for her squad [2].

Feb 5, 2026 – A norovirus outbreak forces Finland’s opening game against Canada to be moved to Feb 12; after practice the team can field only eight skaters and two goalies, and coach Tero Lehterä says he will not risk sick players or spread infection; Hockey Canada GM Gina Kingsbury sends “Get Well” wishes, and the postponement mirrors the only prior health‑related delay at these Games, the Canada‑Russia COVID‑19 test postponement [3].

Feb 16, 2026 – The United States and Canada prepare to meet in the women’s gold‑medal game, the seventh such showdown since Olympic women’s hockey debuted in 1998; the U.S. enters unbeaten (6‑0) with a 31‑1 goal differential and a 331‑minute‑23‑second shutout streak, while Canadian captain Marie‑Philip Poulin returns from a knee injury to score twice in the quarter‑final; veteran captains Hilary Knight and Marie‑Philip Poulin may play their final Olympic game; U.S. defender Lee Stecklein and forward Hayley Scamurra stress their readiness for the decisive match [6].

Feb 17, 2026 – Men’s quarterfinal matchups are announced for Wednesday; Canada, the top seed, will face Czechia, while the United States meets Sweden; Czech forward David Pastrnak declares Canada “maybe the best team ever” after a 5‑0 opening‑game loss; U.S. coach Mike Sullivan notes that “the stakes are rising” following dominant prelim wins; Slovakia relies on Juraj Slafkovsky’s six‑point surge against Germany’s Leon Draisaitl, who urges his team to focus early [1].

Feb 18, 2026 – The United States men’s team takes on Sweden at 3:10 p.m. ET in the quarterfinals, with a win sending them to a likely gold‑medal showdown on Sunday; this tournament marks the first Olympic participation by active NHL players in 12 years, heightening competition; coach Mike Sullivan locks in Connor Hellebuyck as starter after 5‑1, 6‑3, 5‑1 prelim victories; the game streams on NBC, Peacock and NBC Olympics, with broadcast details posted on the Olympic website [4][5].

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