US defeats Sweden and Canada beats Czechia in OT to reach the semifinals at the Olympics

MILAN (AP) — The U.S. and Canada are moving on to the semifinals at the Olympics. Each needed extra hockey to get through the quarterfinals.

Quinn Hughes scored in overtime to put the U.S. past Sweden 2-1 after giving up the tying goal to Mika Zibanejad with 91 seconds left in the third period. Dylan Larkin deflected Jack Hughes' shot in for the only U.S. goal in regulation.

Earlier Wednesday, Nick Suzuki tied it for Canada late in regulation against Czechia, and Mitch Marner won it 4-3 in overtime to avoid what would have been a stunning early exit.

“It was just all relief," Canada's Macklin Celebrini said after scoring three minutes in and then assisting on Marner's goal. “A weight lifted off our shoulders, for sure. Just seeing that puck go in, knowing that we won the game. ... It was a good feeling for all of us.”

Finland also escaped an upset bid by rallying to beat Switzerland 3-2 in OT. Sweden is going home early from a tournament that did not go as planned for a team with a full roster of 25 NHL players, while upstart Slovakia is making another improbable run at the Games.

After Canada did its part, albeit with a roller coaster of drama and emotion, the U.S. kept alive the possibility of the North American rivals meeting in the gold medal game Sunday by riding goaltender Connor Hellebuyck's solid play past Sweden.

The U.S. will face Slovakia in one semifinal on Friday night. Just before that, also unbeaten Canada plays Finland in the other.

After losing captain Sidney Crosby to injury, Canada was staring down what would have been a stunning quarterfinal exit until Nick Suzuki tied it on a deflection goal with 3:27 left. Then Mitch Marner scored a little more than a minute into overtime to beat Czechia 4-3 and send the tournament favorite into the semifinals.

“Everybody had complete faith in whoever was going over the boards,” coach Jon Cooper said. “It just felt it was like a matter of time. It was going to happen.”

The nerves were palpable when Canada fell behind with 7:42 remaining on Ondrej Palat's goal on an odd-man rush off a pass from Martin Necas. Replays showed Czechia had six skaters on the ice, which Nathan MacKinnon said he and his teammates were aware of, even if on-ice officials didn't notice.

Suzuki just about did it all on the tying goal, sending the puck out to the point to Devon Toews and then redirecting the defenseman's shot that was going well wide past Lukas Dostal and into the net.

"Toewser gave me a perfect opportunity to tip it," Suzuki said. "Just trying to put something on net there.”

Jordan Binnington denied David Pastrnak on a breakaway with 70 seconds left to send the game past regulation. It was the biggest of Binnington's 21 saves in an excellent performance from Canada's starter.

Then Marner summoned some more heroics playing for Canada, scoring his second OT goal in an international tournament in as many chances. Marner also scored in a similar fashion a year ago at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

“It’s the 'it' factor, man: Mitch Marner’s got it,” Cooper said. “He doesn’t disappoint. Sometimes your hair falls out at times, but in the end, he never disappoints.”

Much like Canada, Finland was trailing late in its game against Switzerland. The Finns also got a late goal to avoid an upset defeat.

Miro Heiskanen tied it with 72 seconds left, Artturi Lehkonen scored in overtime and Finland escaped with a 3-2 victory. Heiskanen's shot banked in off Switzerland defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler's stick and past goaltender Leonardo Genoni.

“We are a relentless team,” Heiskanen said. "We never give up. We know we had a tough start. It was a slow start, but we kept playing, kept working and it paid off.”

Finland was actually down two goals after Switzerland's Damien Riat and Nino Niederreiter scored 1 minute, 12 seconds apart in the first period. It took until there was 6:06 left before Sebastian Aho got Finland on the board.

Dalibor Dvorsky turned in another brilliant performance with a goal and an assist, fellow NHL forward Pavol Regenda scored twice as part of his three-point game and Slovakia dominated Germany 6-2 on to reach the semifinals and guarantee playing for a medal in Milan.

“Amazing,” said alternate captain Erik Cernak, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning. "Before the tournament, if we would say we’re going to make semifinals, probably people would laugh at you. But we did it, and it’s not done yet.”

Slovakia got an injury scare in the second period when 21-year-old emerging Montreal Canadiens star Juraj Slafkovsky, the reigning Olympic MVP, went head-first into the boards and was slow to get up. A trainer applied an ice pack to the back of Slafkovsky's neck, and he held it on himself when he got up to celebrate a goal scored while he was getting medical attention.

“I’m OK," Slafkovsky said. "I was a little shaken up, but after a couple minutes I felt OK again. I went out there, and head wasn’t spinning. I was seeing normal.”

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Sweden's Joel Eriksson Ek (14) and United States' Matthew Tkachuk (19) are kept apart during the second period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

United States' Tage Thompson, right, celebrates with Dylan Larkin (21) after Larkin scored against Sweden during the second period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Finland's Artturi Lehkonen (62) celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Finland and Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, Pool)

Canada's Nick Suzuki (10) celebrates with Cale Makar (8) after Suzuki scored a goal against Czechia during the third period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Canada's Mitch Marner (93) and Macklin Celebrini (17) celebrate after Marner scored the winning goal during the overtime period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Canada and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Czechia's David Pastrnak (88) celebrates with Martin Necas (98) and Filip Hronek (17) after Pastrnak scored a goal against Canada during the first period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Canada's Sidney Crosby (87) is attended to after being injured during the second period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Canada and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Czechia's Ondrej Palat (18) scores a goal against Canada goalkeeper Jordan Binnington (50) during the third period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Germany players are dejected as Slovakia players celebrate their fifth goal during a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Slovakia and Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Slovakia's Samuel Hlavaj (31) fails to save a shot by Germany's Frederik Tiffels who's scored his side's second goal during a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Slovakia and Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Slovakia's Libor Hudacek (79) celebrates after Slovakia's Dalibor Dvorsky, not seen, scored his side's fourth goal during a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Slovakia and Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Slovakia's Oliver Okuliar (8) and Slovakia's Dalibor Dvorsky (15) celebrate their side's third goal during a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Slovakia and Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Tiny Bodø/Glimt produced another Champions League shock by stunning last year's beaten finalist Inter Milan 3-1 in the playoffs on Wednesday.

The Norwegian underdog followed up back-to-back wins against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid by securing a two-goal advantage going into next week's second leg in Milan.

Anthony Gordon scored four goals in the first half as Newcastle routed Qarabag 6-1.

Atletico drew 3-3 away to Club Brugge and Bayer Leverkusen has a 2-0 lead after its first leg at Olympiacos.

Bodø/Glimt is fast becoming the unlikely story of this season's Champions League, producing one upset after another.

After booking its place in the playoffs with wins against City and Atletico, it strengthened its chances of advancing to the round of 16 with victory against Italian league leader Inter.

Sondre Fet put the home team ahead after collecting Kasper Hogh’s backheel in the 20th minute.

Francesco Pio Esposito equalized before the break, but Bodø/Glimt took control in the second half.

Hogh produced a second assist to set up Jens Petter Hauge in the 61st and then got a goal himself three minutes later.

Inter was a beaten finalist in two of the last three seasons, but now faces a major test to advance to the next round.

Newcastle was 5-0 up by halftime against Qarabag in Azerbaijan and, barring an unlikely collapse in the second leg at home, is cruising into the round of 16.

Gordon completed his hat trick in 33 minutes at the Tofik Bakhramov Stadium in Baku and got a fourth in first-half added time.

Malick Thiaw was also on target for the Premier League team, which had 16 shots in a rampant first half.

Elvin Jafarguliyev pulled one back for Qarabag, which has been one of the surprise stories of this season's Champions League after qualifying for the playoffs. But Jacob Murphy's deflected strike completed the rout for Newcastle, which will be the fifth English team in the last 16 if it advances.

Atletico blew a two-goal lead at Club Brugge and then saw the Belgians come back again with an equalizer in the 89th to keep the teams neck and neck at 3-3.

Julian Alvarez's eighth-minute penalty was followed by another goal from January signing Ademola Lookman in first-half added time.

Raphael Onyedika pulled a goal back six minutes into the second half after Nicolo Tresoldi's effort was saved. Tresoldi then leveled on the hour.

Atletico regained the lead in the 70th through an own goal from Joel Ordonez, but Christian Tzolis produced a final twist in the 89th.

Two goals from Patrik Schick put Leverkusen in complete control against Olympiacos, with the Germans winning 2-0 ahead of the home second leg.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Brugge's team celebrate after Christos Tzolis scored his side's third goal during the Champions League play-off first leg soccer match between Club Brugge and Atletico Madrid, in Bruges, Belgium, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Bodø/Glimt's Sondre Brunstad Fet celebrates after scoring against Inter's Milan during a Champions League soccer match, Wednesday, Feb 18, 2026, in Bodo, Norway. (Mats Torbergsen/NTB Scanpix via AP)

Bodø/Glimt's Jens Petter Hauge celebrates after scoring against Inter Milan during a Champions League soccer match, Wednesday, Feb 18, 2026, in Bodo, Norway. (Thomas Andersen/NTB Scanpix via AP)

Newcastle's Jacob Murphy celebrates after scoring his side's sixth goal during the Champions League play-off first leg soccer match between Qarabag and Newcastle in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo)

Newcastle's Anthony Gordon, centre, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's first goal during the Champions League play-off first leg soccer match between Qarabag and Newcastle in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo)

Newcastle's Anthony Gordon, left, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Champions League play-off first leg soccer match between Qarabag and Newcastle in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo)