Quinn Hughes met the moment.
Kenny Albert did too.
Team USA men’s hockey knocked off Sweden, 2-1, in the 2026 Olympics quarterfinals thanks to Hughes’ goal 3:27 into overtime on Tuesday.
The Americans, who blew a one-goal lead with 1:31 to play in the third period, rallied on the strength of the Wild defenseman’s goal that beat Swedish goaltender Jacob Markstrom low to the glove side and banked in off the post and into the back of the net.
In what will likely go down as one of the most memorable goals in USA hockey history, the television voice of the Rangers, who was on the call for NBC/Peacock, came through.
“Now Quinn Hughes, we’ve played three and a half minutes in overtime. Quinn Hughes shoots, he scores! He scores!” Albert said as his voice audibly rose in excitement. “Quinn Hughes in overtime wins it! And the United States will move on and face Slovakia in the semis!”
He then let the game breathe as the broadcast showed the two ends of the emotional spectrum; Sweden in emotional despair on the ice and bench, and the U.S. on the ice piling on one another while “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd blared over the loudspeakers at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
It capped off a raucous day that included three overtime games in the men’s tournament.
As Albert noted at the end of his goal call, the Americans will now advance to play Slovakia in the semifinals on Friday. The winner will advance to the gold medal game and play the victor of the Canada-Finland semifinal.
