When Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson reconvene in the Toronto Maple Leafs dressing room, there might be an initial moment of awkwardness. The reason stems from a dramatic Olympic hockey quarterfinal that unfolded on Wednesday in Milan, Italy, where Matthews played a pivotal role in ending the gold-medal aspirations of his two Leafs teammates.
Overtime Heroics Seal Victory for United States
The United States men's ice hockey team secured a hard-fought 2-1 overtime victory against Sweden in the 2026 Winter Olympics quarterfinals. The winning goal came at 3:27 of the extra period when American defenseman Quinn Hughes unleashed a powerful shot that beat Swedish goaltender Jacob Markstrom. Matthews, serving as captain for Team USA, along with forward Matt Boldy, provided the crucial assists on the game-winning play.
This moment marked a significant reversal of fortune for Matthews. Just last February, he was on the ice watching as Connor McDavid scored in overtime to give Canada the victory over the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off final. This time, Matthews was an active participant in the celebration, helping propel his team to the semifinals.
Sweden's Late Rally Falls Short
The game was a tense, defensive battle for much of the regulation time. Dylan Larkin gave the United States a 1-0 lead midway through the second period, a margin they protected diligently. However, with their goaltender pulled for an extra attacker, Sweden mounted a late comeback. With just 91 seconds remaining in the third period, Mika Zibanejad found the back of the net, beating American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to tie the game and force overtime. William Nylander contributed to the play by creating traffic in front of the net, showcasing his effort in the closing moments.
Quiet Olympics for Maple Leafs Stars
For Nylander and Ekman-Larsson, the loss means an early return to Toronto without Olympic medals. Nylander, who is 29 years old, finished the tournament with four points—two goals and two assists—in five games. This output was considered below expectations for the offensively gifted forward, especially after he entered the Olympics managing a nagging groin injury that had limited his practice time with the Swedish team at the start of the event.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, competing in his second Olympics after winning a silver medal with Sweden in 2014, was held without a point throughout the five games. His defensive presence was noted, but the offensive contribution he sometimes provides was absent during this tournament.
Path to the Gold Medal Game
With this victory, the United States advances to the semifinals where they will face Slovakia. On the other side of the bracket, Canada is set to square off against Finland. This sets up a potential dream matchup for hockey fans, as Canada and the United States could meet in the gold-medal game on Sunday if both teams win their respective semifinal contests on Friday.
The result adds another chapter to the intense rivalry between North American hockey powers and sets the stage for what promises to be an exciting conclusion to the Olympic men's ice hockey tournament in Milan.
