What we covered here
• Thrillers in men’s ice hockey: It’s the quarterfinal round and it’s been electric. Team USA beat Sweden in a 2-1 game that went into overtime. Canada and Finland both survived challenges with come-from-behind overtime wins.
• Mikaela Shiffrin goes gold: The American star won the women’s slalom, ending her eight-year Olympic drought.
• Dog takes part in cross-country race: Social media and fans worldwide are fawning over a two-year-old Czechoslovakian wolfdog named Nazgul who ran to the finish line in the women’s team sprint free final.
• Klaebo extends record: Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won his fifth gold of these Games in the men’s cross-country team sprint and 10th overall in his career to extend his record as the most successful Winter Olympian ever.
CNN Sports has all of the greatest feats of achievement – and funny anecdotes – from the Games, sign up for our “Milano Memo” newsletter.
Shiffrin goes gold, thrilling hockey, and more in photos from today's Olympics action
What a day of triumph and tears. The day ended on a high note for Team USA as the men’s ice hockey team prevailed in a nail-biting affair over Sweden. In fact, no fingers were safe as three of the four quarterfinals showdowns went to overtime. Mikaela Shiffrin brought tears of joy to those who witnessed her Olympic slalom gold and know her close connection to her late father. Day 12 featured many moments like these, so let’s take a look at how some of them were captured.
We are 12 days into the Olympics. Catch up on today's Games
Day 12 of the Olympics was full of fireworks for Team USA.
Here are the highlights:
Shiffrin wins: USA’s star skier Mikaela Shiffrin won the women’s slalom and ended her eight-year Olympic medal drought with the largest win margin in any alpine skiing event, men or women’s, since 1998. The historic win is the four-time Olympian’s third gold medal – the most of any American alpine skier ever.
Nail-biting quarterfinals in men’s ice hockey: Team USA broke a tie and beat Sweden 2-1 in overtime. Finland won against Switzerland 3-2. Canada also moved on to semifinals following a 4-3 thriller against the Czech Republic. Slovakia defeated Germany 6-2.
Other medal news:
Most successful Winter Olympian of all time: Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won his fifth gold of the Games in men’s cross-country team sprint. It’s the 10th overall gold of his career.
Sweden clinches gold: Maja Dahlqvist and Jonna Sundling won gold in the women’s cross country team sprint free.
Canada’s speed skating gold: Steven Dubois won the men’s 500m short track speed skate gold medal. The Netherlands’ Melle van ‘t Wout stood on the podium with his brother, Jens, with the duo taking home silver and bronze.
Korea’s last-minute win: On the last lap, the Republic of Korea shocked spectators in the women’s 3000m short track relay, pulling into first place ahead of Italy.
France’s gold: France cruised in the women’s biathlon 4 x 6km relay to claim gold more than 51 seconds ahead of silver medalists Sweden.
China’s victories: China’s Su Yiming clinched the gold medal in the men’s slopestyle final – on his 22nd birthday no less. Later, Xu Mengtao won gold in the women’s freeski aerials.
Japan’s success: First-time Olympian Mari Fukada won the women’s snowboard slopestyle.
In other news: Ukrainian officials will not attend the Winter Paralympic Games in March after the International Paralympic Committee decided to permit Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their respective national flags.
"You just got to rely” on your teammates when game goes into overtime, USA's Hughes says
After Quinn Hughes scored the winning goal against Sweden in overtime, helping advance Team USA to the men’s ice hockey semifinals, he told NBC that it felt “really special” to be a first-time Olympian.
Hughes was mobbed at the glass after netting the winning goal as his teammates celebrated.
“This whole tournament, it’s not about me. It’s about, you know, the group,” he said about waiving off the coaching staff and staying on the ice for longer.
CNN’s David Close contributed to this report.
Quinn dogpiled followed by handshakes
Team USA’s Quinn Hughes is mobbed at the glass after netting the game-winner. His No. 43 is nowhere to be found after the mass of bodies jump on him in celebration.
The Swedes are left to look on in misery. Just moments earlier it was nothing but pure joy after tying the game at one.
The teams then proceeded to form the traditional handshake line after the tense, 2-1 battle.
Here are the semifinal matchups for the men's hockey semifinals
Let’s hope the semifinals are half as exciting as the quarterfinals in the men’s hockey tournament.
Stay tuned for the game times.
Team USA wins it!
The Americans dominated the extra session after giving up a late Sweden goal in regulation. None more than defenceman Quinn Hughes, who becomes a Team USA hero by scoring in overtime to book a semifinal place for the Americans.
The Minnesota Wild defenseman nifty skated through the Swedes before unleashing a wicked shot that beat Jacob Markstrom’s glove.
Team USA wins 2-1 in OT.
How does Olympic overtime work in hockey?
What day in Milan. This is the THIRD quarterfinal game to go into overtime today.
The overtime period is 10 minutes long, played three-on-three and the next goal wins.
If the period ends with no goal, then the game will go to a shootout. Here we go!
Free hockey time in Milan
The Americans need to find their swagger.
The No. 2 seed must find its moxie in order to punch back in this game after Sweden’s late game-tying goal.
Sweden has all the momentum with overtime underway.
Sweden ties the game late
It has been all Sweden this third period and they finally solve the puzzle that has been Connor Hellebuyck.
With just 1:31 remaining in regulation, Lucas Raymond makes the sweet cross-ice pass to Mika Zibanejad, who blasts the equalizer to tie the game.
Sweden rejoices as the Americans hang their heads.
Full credit to the Swedes who, once they pulled Jacob Markstrom for the extra attacker, were in full control.
The score is 1-1 with seconds left in the third.
Swedes keep pushing hard for the equalizer
The Americans are absorbing the pressure but look a bit winded.
Sweden is outshooting Team USA this period, with Connor Hellebuyck keeping the puck out.
In the great words of Sir Alex Ferguson, we have definitely entered “squeaky bum time.”
Now under five minutes in regulation and still 1-0 Team USA. Sweden just hit the post with a little more than two minutes to go!
Team USA survives Sweden’s push
The Swedes started applying sustained pressure within the American zone, with Detroit Red Wings’ Lucas Raymond looking especially dangerous.
Inexplicably, Jesper Bratt is taking his first shifts of the game here in the third period for Sweden and is looking super fresh and threatening for obvious reasons.
The score remains 1-0 with less than eight minutes remaining.
Sweden and USA battling for next goal
Team USA snuffed out Sweden’s first extra-man opportunity after Vincent Trocheck was sent to the penalty box.
Afterwards, Minnesota Wild’s Matt Boldy almost doubled the lead for Team USA, but Jacob Markstrom closed his pads over the puck before it crossed the line.
The score remains 1-0 midway through the third period. You can feel the tension rising.
20 minutes left in this elimination game
Team USA has 30 shots through two periods, while Team Sweden has 19 in this quarterfinal clash.
During the intermission, the goalscorer Dylan Larkin told NBC that the Americans need a big start following the next puck drop.
But so do the Swedes, who have yet to figure out goalie Connor Hellebuyck.
Despite leading, Team USA fans will likely be a little tight inside the Milan Santagiulia Arena as we are underway in the third period.
Second period ends with Team USA leading 1-0
Give both goalies credit for keeping this a tight affair.
Jacob Markstrom really didn’t have much of a chance on the Dylan Larkin score, as the redirect was worked to perfection. And he and the Swedes just killed off the Americans’ second power play of the game.
Depending on how the rest of this tilt plays out, the next New Jersey Devils practice will be interesting with Jack Hughes’ primary assist leading to the goal that beat his NHL teammate.
Jack’s older brother, the Minnesota Wild’s Quinn Hughes, has a point in all four USA games.
A tense third period of this the men’s hockey quarterfinal awaits.
Team USA breaks the scoreless tie
Dylan Larkin, the Detroit Red Wings captain, has broken through to score the game’s first goal.
The Hughes brothers got the assists with Jack Hughes’ blast from the blue line redirected by Larkin to find twine.
1-0 Team USA in the second period.
Goalmouth gapped but still no goal
Team USA’s Jake Guentzel will want that chance back.
Auston Matthews’ centering pass was destined for Guentzel but Adrian Kempe’s backcheck foiled the opportunity.
Meanwhile, the NBC broadcast just showed Victor Hedman fully dressed and on the bench but was reportedly injured during the game’s warmups.
Through the halfway point of this second period and there are still no goals in this one.
Where are Sweden's Hedman and Bratt?
Two of the Swedish stars haven’t played in this game.
New Jersey Devil Jesper Bratt and towering Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman have yet to take the ice in this game.
But its the Swedes that have started lively in the second period.
Team USA’s netminder, Connor Hellebuyck, was forced to make a good pad save on Lucas Raymond to keep the game at 0-0.
40 minutes for a semifinal spot
The second period is underway. No score in this elimination game. Team USA has outscored its opponents 8-1 in the previous three games during the second period.
Scoreless in Milan
The first period has come to a close between Team USA and Sweden in this men’s ice hockey quarterfinal.
Both teams have 10 shots on goal.
Both goalies, Team USA and Winnipeg Jets’ star Connor Hellebuyck and Team Sweden and New Jersey Devils’ standout Jacob Markstrom, have been forced to make some quality saves but neither was forced to do the spectacular.
An occasional “U-S-A!” chant has rung out inside the arena, but the game’s first goal has eluded fans.
