Sweden left 'empty' after quarter-final overtime heartbreak against USA

[p]In the end, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sweden/vBLjQRXp/"]Sweden[/a] had a stop-start tournament that ended at the quarter-final stage, one round earlier than in Beijing four years ago.[/p][p]The team has faced criticism from some sections, but there is no doubt the manner of their elimination was tough to take - going down [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/sweden-vBLjQRXp/usa-GYgp4SO3/?mid=AP5hCOh3"]2-1 in the fourth minute of overtime[/a] against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/usa/GYgp4SO3/"]United States[/a], for whom [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hughes-quinn/M1xKD9sj/"]Quin Hughes[/a] powered home the winning goal.[/p][p]Speaking to Swedish television after the match, Tre Kronor captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/landeskog-gabriel/6ikuwFTl/"]Gabriel Landeskog[/a] summed up how he and his teammates were feeling.[/p][p][b]"Empty. Not how we expected it to end, of course. But if you get into the game, you have to endure the game."[/b][/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/colorado-avalanche/hACAnvBa/"]Colorado Avalanche[/a] man, who assisted Sweden's goal, was also critical of the overtime format of the competition.[/p][p][b]"My opinion was that it should be five-on-five. I checked the rules before the tournament and knew that's how it looked, but it's scary to think that an Olympic final is going to be decided three-on-three for 20 minutes."[/b][/p][embed guid="fc68c4fb-b697-4972-915c-5f0c7f14265c" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTvvF3QDRVc" social-type="youtube" /][p]Head coach Sam Hallam, who guided the Swedes to a bronze medal at last year's World Championship, has come under fire from some in the local media for not getting the most out of his star-studded squad.[/p][p]Wherever the blame lies, there is little doubt the Swedish campaign has been inconsistent - after beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/italy/IqPZXVAb/"]Italy[/a], Sweden were beaten 4-1 by neighbours [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/finland/rRWMzYQu/"]Finland[/a], before a late concession in a 5-3 win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/slovakia/ruzLVmAN/"]Slovakia[/a] cost them a chance of first place in Group B, eventually finishing third.[/p][p]There seemed to be improvement from the side in a 5-1 playoff win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/latvia/44JaYkQ4/"]Latvia[/a], but against the USA, their attacking prowess went missing when faced with a fellow medal-contender. The Swedes only found the net through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zibanejad-mika/x0uEtgQN/"]Mika Zibanejad[/a] after pulling the goaltender in the final minutes.[/p][p]The defeat was clearly tough to take for Hallam: [b]"You could say it's just hockey, but it's not. It's our life."[/b][/p][p][b]"It's hard to digest. Feels like we've struggled a bit uphill in these Olympics,"[/b] he added.[/p][p]The USA will face Slovakia in the semi-finals, while Finland take on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/canada/dSsR389c/"]Canada[/a], both matches are scheduled for Friday 20th.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/hockey/world/olympic-games/"]Follow the 2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]