Sweden vs USA: Road to Olympic Hockey Semifinals – Schedule, Results & Team News
- MILAN, ITALY – The United States men’s hockey team advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Winter Olympics, setting up a highly anticipated matchup against Sweden on Wednesday,...
- Sweden also enjoyed a successful preliminary round, though their path to the quarterfinals was slightly more complex.
- The game, scheduled for 21:10 Swedish time at the PalaItalia Santa Giulia (capacity 12,000), will be broadcast on SVT1/SVT Play and HBO Max, with coverage beginning at 20:30.
MILAN, ITALY – The United States men’s hockey team advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Winter Olympics, setting up a highly anticipated matchup against Sweden on Wednesday, . The U.S. Completed a perfect preliminary round, winning all three games in Group C and outscoring opponents 16-5, earning the No. 2 seed in the knockout stage, trailing only Canada.
Sweden also enjoyed a successful preliminary round, though their path to the quarterfinals was slightly more complex. After an opening win against Italy, they stumbled against Finland before securing victories over Slovakia and Latvia. Their quarterfinal berth was confirmed with a 5-1 victory over Latvia on Tuesday.
The game, scheduled for at the PalaItalia Santa Giulia (capacity 12,000), will be broadcast on SVT1/SVT Play and HBO Max, with coverage beginning at 20:30. The stakes are high, as the winner will advance to the semifinals and remain in contention for a medal, while the loser faces elimination.
Past Encounters
Historically, matchups between Sweden and the United States in Olympic competition have been relatively infrequent. The last time the two nations met in the Olympics was during the group stage of the 2006 Turin Games, with Sweden emerging victorious 2-1. Daniel Alfredsson and Mikael Samuelsson scored for Sweden, while Mike Modano tallied for the U.S. They also clashed in the 1998 Nagano Olympics, again with Sweden winning, this time by a score of 4-2.
These previous Olympic encounters occurred during eras when NHL players participated, adding a layer of significance to the rivalry. More recently, the teams met in the 4-Nations tournament last year, with Sweden winning 2-1 in a game that held less competitive weight.
Looking beyond the Olympics, the two teams faced off in the VM semifinal in 2025, with the United States winning 6-2. In more recent VM matchups, Sweden defeated the U.S. 5-2 in a 2024 group stage game, while the U.S. Secured wins in 2023 (4-3 after overtime) and 2022 (3-2 after overtime). A notable victory for Sweden came in the 2018 VM semifinal, where they dominated with a 6-0 shutout.
Tre Kronor’s Olympic Journey
Sweden’s journey through the 2026 Olympic tournament began with a commanding 5-2 victory over Italy, fueled by goals from Gabriel Landeskog, Gustav Forsling, William Nylander, Mika Zibanejad, and Victor Hedman. They then faced a tougher test against Finland, falling 4-1 with Rasmus Dahlin providing the lone goal for the Swedes.
Despite the setback against Finland, Sweden rebounded with a 5-3 win over Slovakia, though they narrowly missed securing the top spot in their group when Slovakia scored a late goal. Elias Pettersson led the scoring with two goals, supported by Joel Eriksson Ek, Adrian Kempe, and Lucas Raymond.
Their most recent outing saw them defeat Latvia 5-1 in the round of 16. Adrian Kempe, Gabriel Landeskog, Filip Forsberg, Mika Zibanejad, and William Nylander each found the back of the net, securing their place in the quarterfinals against the United States.
USA’s Star Power
The United States boasts a roster brimming with NHL talent. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, a three-time NHL All-Star and last season’s NHL MVP, anchors the team in net. Defensively, Quinn Hughes and Zach Werenski are considered among the league’s elite. Hughes was named the NHL’s best defenseman in 2024.
Up front, the U.S. Lineup is equally impressive, led by captain Auston Matthews, a three-time NHL scoring champion and former MVP. Other key contributors include Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, and Jack Hughes.
Sweden’s Olympic Pedigree
Sweden has a rich history in Olympic hockey, having secured nine medals throughout the years. They have two gold medals (1994, 2006), three silver medals (1928, 1964, 2014), and four bronze medals (1952, 1980, 1984, 1988). The 2006 gold medal remains particularly significant, as it was the first Olympic tournament to feature all of the world’s top players.
Tre Kronor’s Lineup
Sweden’s roster consists entirely of NHL players. The team’s key players include Victor Hedman, Erik Karlsson, Rasmus Dahlin, Lucas Raymond, Elias Pettersson, and William Nylander. Sam Hallam serves as the team’s head coach, with Rikard Grönborg set to take over after these Games.
Goaltenders: Jacob Markström (New Jersey Devils), Filip Gustavsson (Minnesota Wild), Jesper Wallstedt (Minnesota Wild)
Defensemen: Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning), Erik Karlsson (Pittsburgh Penguins), Gustav Forsling (Florida Panthers), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Toronto Maple Leafs), Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres), Rasmus Andersson (Calgary Flames), Philip Broberg (St. Louis Blues), Hampus Lindholm (Boston Bruins)
Forwards: Elias Pettersson (Vancouver Canucks), Rickard Rakell (Pittsburgh Penguins), Adrian Kempe (Los Angeles Kings), Lucas Raymond (Detroit Red Wings), William Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs), Jesper Bratt (New Jersey Devils), Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado Avalanche), Mika Zibanejad (New York Rangers), Filip Forsberg (Nashville Predators), Joel Eriksson-Ek (Minnesota Wild), Elias Lindholm (Boston Bruins), Pontus Holmberg (Tampa Bay Lightning), Alexander Wennberg (San José Sharks), Marcus Johansson (Minnesota Wild)