Team USA Rides Hellebuyck’s Hot Hand into Olympic Quarterfinals
Team USA is heading into the Olympic men’s hockey quarterfinals with momentum-and a goalie playing some of his best hockey on the international stage. After a convincing 5-1 win over Germany, the Americans are set to face the winner of Sweden vs.
Latvia in the next round. And if the past two games are any indication, Connor Hellebuyck is the man who’ll be holding down the crease when the puck drops.
Hellebuyck has been nothing short of rock-solid for Team USA so far. In two starts, he’s allowed just two goals on 42 shots, good for a sparkling 1.00 goals-against average-tied for best in the tournament-and a tournament-leading .952 save percentage. Those numbers don’t just pop off the page; they tell the story of a goaltender in complete control.
After the win over Germany, Hellebuyck gave a glimpse into how he’s feeling heading into the medal round. “Is there more than a hundred percent?
No, I feel good,” he said with a grin. “It’s pretty hot out there.
I’m sweating a lot now. I guess I’m at 99 percent right as we speak.
But yeah, I feel good out there.”
That confidence isn’t just talk-it’s showing up in his play. U.S. head coach Mike Sullivan made it clear that Hellebuyck’s performance is doing the talking for him.
“His rebound control, he swallowed everything,” Sullivan said after the Germany game. “There were no rebounds for Germany to have an opportunity to create a next play.
I thought this was his very best. You could feel his confidence from the bench just watching him make the saves.”
It’s worth noting that Team USA hasn’t needed to rotate much in net so far. Jake Oettinger, who served as the backup during the 4 Nations Face-Off, has yet to see any action in this tournament.
Jeremy Swayman got the nod in the group stage matchup against Denmark, but struggled-allowing three goals on just 21 shots. That outing opened the door for Hellebuyck to step up, and he’s done exactly that.
Sullivan has been consistent in his message: performance dictates playing time. And right now, Hellebuyck is making a strong case to be the guy the rest of the way.
But the Americans know they’ve got depth at the position if needed-both Oettinger and Swayman are capable of stepping in. Still, barring any unexpected turns, this is Hellebuyck’s net to lose.
As the quarterfinals loom, the U.S. squad is locking in. The offense is clicking, the defense is settling in, and with Hellebuyck anchoring the back end, there’s a growing sense that this team is finding its stride at just the right time.
The next test comes Wednesday. The opponent is still to be determined, but one thing’s clear: Team USA is riding into the medal round with a hot goalie and a whole lot of belief.