Team USA is one step closer to gold, and Donald Trump is inching closer to Milan.
America’s Olympic hockey team beat Sweden, 2-1, in overtime on a brilliant slap shot from Minnesota Wild star Quinn Hughes. The US advances to a semifinals matchup with Slovakia on Friday in Milan.
The victory could result in a surprise international trip for Trump, who is reportedly considering attending Sunday’s gold medal game, should the US beat Slovakia. Canada and Finland are playing in the other semifinal.
Team USA held a 1-0 lead for half the game until Sweden pulled its goaltender and tied the game with a little over a minute left in regulation. Mika Zibanejad took a brilliant pass from extra Lucas Raymond before ripping a one-timer by Connor Hellebuyck, who’d been nearly perfect for Team USA over the first three periods on Wednesday.
Detroit Red Wings star Dylan Larkin gave Team USA the lead midway through the second period on assists from the Hughes brothers, Jack and Quinn.
It was a brilliant set play on a face-off in the Swedish zone that made the goal possible. Quinn took the puck at the blue line made a short pass to brother Jack, who unleashed a slap shot that was deflected by Larkin and passed goaltender Jacob Markstrom.
Quinn Hughes celebrates his game-winner against Sweden on Wednesday in Milan
Hughes, a defenseman, had a goal and an assist for Team USA on Wednesday in Milan
Team USA celebrates after beating Sweden to advance to face Slovakia in the semis
Coincidentally, Markstrom happens to play professionally with Jack and the other Hughes brother, Luke, on the New Jersey Devils.
Team USA got off to a fast start, peppering Markstrom with six shots in the first period before Sweden got even one on net.
But the Swedes weren’t completely lifeless, and quickly began to gather momentum in the offensive zone, where Larkin’s Red Wings teammate, Raymond, had six shots on net over the first 50 minutes of play.
Later, when Markstrom was pulled with Sweden trailing 1-0 late in the third, Raymond was back on the ice as the extra attacker, where he showed off his skating and passing skills to set up Zibanejad’s equalizer.
Dylan Larkin goes up against the glass with Rasmus Dahlin, a former first-overall draft pick
Dylan Larkin and Charlie McAvoy celebrate their second-period goal against Sweden
Simone Biles was joined at the game in Milan by her husband, Bears safety Jonathan Owens
Italian news outlets have already reported the President is expected to travel to Milan for Sunday’s gold medal game, should Team USA advance.
Trump’s visit will be fleeting: He’s expected to go straight from Air Force One to the hockey arena and then make an appearance at Sunday’s closing ceremony. He would then immediately depart Italy without an overnight stay or any meetings.
The reports came after Vice President JD Vance was embarrassingly booed during the opening ceremony earlier this month.
Vance, who attended ice hockey and figure skating events in Milan, was clearly jeered and whistled when he and his wife, Usha, were displayed on screens as US athletes joined the ceremony parade. The athletes had been cheered moments earlier.
Secretary of state Marco Rubio was among Vance’s delegation.
Protests in Milan’s streets flared up after it was confirmed 10 days before the games opened that staff from ICE, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement department, were involved in American security planning for the Olympics.
On Wednesday in Milan, however, those controversies seemed thousands of miles away.
Instead of protestors, Wednesday’s quarterfinal was seen by Olympic gold medalist and gymnastics icon, Simone Biles, and her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens. And he wasn’t the only NFL star in the arena. Also in attendance were San Francisco 49ers teammates Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle, the latter of whom has befriended Sweden’s Filip Forsberg, a Nashville Predators forward.
And as expected, NBC Olympic ambassador and LA Kings fan, Snoop Dogg, was also on hand.
