In the first quarterfinal matchup, Sweden upset bronze-medal hopeful Czechia, knocking them out of the tournament. The Swedes opened the scoring through forward Hanna Olsson, who netted a power-play goal just a few minutes into the second period. The New York Sirens Maja Nylén Persson picked up an assist on the play.
Sweden carried the 1–0 lead into the closing stages of the game, when 19-year-old Hilda Svensson added an empty-netter to seal the victory. Toronto Sceptres defender and Sweden captain Anna Kjellbin recorded the primary assist on the goal, marking her second point of the tournament.
Swedish goaltender Ebba Traff Svensson stole the show, stopping all 29 shots she faced to earn the shutout. Traff Svensson now holds a .976 save percentage—the second-highest mark at the Milano Cortina Games, trailing only Aerin Frankel of the Boston Fleet and Team USA.
For Czechia, the quarterfinal exit ends their tournament in disappointing fashion. The No. 3 seed, which featured the PWHL’s leading goal scorer in New York’s Kristýna Kaltounková, entered The Winter Olympics with medal aspirations but never really found its footing.
Sweden advances to Monday’s semifinals.
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