Sweden faces a formidable challenge tonight as they seize on the United States in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Winter Olympics men’s ice hockey tournament. The match, scheduled for 9:10 PM Swedish time at the PalaItalia Santa Giulia arena (capacity 12,000), pits the third-place finisher from Group A against the winner of Group B.
Sweden advanced to the quarterfinals after a decisive 5-1 victory over Latvia yesterday, with goals from Adrian Kempe, Gabriel Landeskog, Filip Forsberg, Mika Zibanejad, and William Nylander. Prior to that, Sweden posted a 5-2 win against Italy in their opening match, followed by a 4-1 loss to Finland and a 5-3 victory over Slovakia, where a late goal by Slovakia prevented Sweden from securing the top spot in their group.
The United States, having topped their group, enjoyed a direct path to the quarterfinals and has yet to face a true test in the tournament. They began with a 5-1 win over Latvia, followed by a 6-3 victory against Denmark, and concluded the group stage with a 5-1 triumph over Germany.
Historically, matchups between Sweden and the United States in Olympic competition have been closely contested. Sweden defeated the US 2-1 in the 2006 Olympic group stage, with goals from Daniel Alfredsson and Mikael Samuelsson. They also won a 4-2 decision in the 1998 Olympic group play. These are the only two instances where the nations have met in the Olympics with NHL players participating. A more recent meeting occurred at the 4-Nations tournament last year, resulting in a 2-1 Swedish victory, though that game held little competitive weight.
However, the United States claimed a 6-2 win over Sweden in the 2025 World Championship semifinal. Earlier encounters in recent World Championship play include a 5-2 Swedish win in 2024, and US victories of 4-3 (in overtime) and 3-2 in 2023 and 2022, respectively. Sweden secured a dominant 6-0 victory over the US in the 2018 World Championship semifinal.
The stakes are high for both teams. A win guarantees a semifinal berth and a medal-round appearance, while a loss will result in immediate elimination.
The game will be broadcast live on SVT1 and SVT Play, with coverage beginning at 8:30 PM Swedish time. HBO Max will also carry the broadcast.
The US roster boasts a wealth of NHL talent, including goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, a three-time NHL best goaltender and last season’s NHL MVP. Defensemen Quinn Hughes, named the NHL’s best defenseman in 2024, and Zach Werenski are also key players. Up front, the US is led by captain Auston Matthews, a three-time NHL scoring champion and former MVP, alongside Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, and Jack Hughes.
Sweden’s lineup consists entirely of NHL players, featuring stars such as Victor Hedman, Erik Karlsson, Rasmus Dahlin, Lucas Raymond, Elias Pettersson, and William Nylander. Tre Kronor’s head coach, Sam Hallam, is set to conclude his tenure after the tournament, with Rikard Grönborg slated to take over the position.
Sweden’s Olympic Roster:
Goaltenders: Jacob Markström (Fresh 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)
