U.S. Goalie Swayman Allows Long-Distance Goal at Olympics

Swayman shrugs off 95-foot goal against Denmark, as U.S. rallies to win 6-3

Apr. 20, 2026 at 12:14am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold colors showing a hockey goaltender attempting to make a save, with the puck, net, and player forms broken down into overlapping planes, creating a dynamic, kinetic visual representation of the unusual goal scored from long distance.A fractured, cubist depiction of a rare long-distance goal that caught a goaltender off guard, highlighting the mental resilience required at the Olympic level.Salt Lake City Today

In a game against Denmark at the Milan Cortina Olympics, U.S. goaltender Jeremy Swayman gave up a goal from 95 feet out that caught him off guard. Despite the unusual goal, Swayman and the U.S. team were able to regroup and come back to win the game 6-3.

Why it matters

Long-distance goals like this one are rare in hockey and can often be seen as embarrassing for the goaltender. However, Swayman and his teammates showed resilience in bouncing back from the early deficit, highlighting the mental toughness required at the Olympic level.

The details

With the U.S. trailing 1-0 early in the first period, Denmark's Nicholas B. Jensen fired a shot from just past the center red line that caught Swayman off guard and went in over his right shoulder. Swayman admitted he 'truly lost' the puck, but credited the perfect height and positioning of the shot. Despite the early gaffe, Swayman and the U.S. team were able to rally, with Jack Eichel and Brady Tkachuk leading the comeback effort.

  • The long-distance goal from Jensen came 11 minutes into the first period, giving Denmark an early 1-0 lead.
  • The U.S. went on to score 6 unanswered goals to win the game 6-3.

The players

Jeremy Swayman

The 27-year-old American goaltender who plays for the Boston Bruins in the NHL and was the starting goalie for the U.S. team against Denmark.

Nicholas B. Jensen

The Danish player who scored the long-distance goal from 95 feet out against Swayman, his third goal in 11 years of international play.

Jack Eichel

The American forward who set up a goal and scored one of his own to lead the U.S. comeback effort.

Brady Tkachuk

The American forward who scored two goals to help the U.S. rally past Denmark.

Mike Sullivan

The head coach of the U.S. men's hockey team who expressed confidence in Swayman despite the early goal against.

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What they’re saying

“It was just the perfect height right between the stands and board level, and I truly lost it. Definitely one I went back, but at the same time, especially at this level, you've got to stay even-keeled. It's one shot at a time and no matter how they go in, you've got to step up and stop the next one.”

— Jeremy Swayman, U.S. Goaltender

“First I wanted to dump it, and then I was like, 'OK, I might as well just put it toward the net.' It's hard to see with the bleachers, but no, I got lucky. And I appreciate he gave me that.”

— Nicholas B. Jensen, Danish Player

“Funky bounce — you just move on. Sway is a confident man. He knows nine times out of 10 — or 99 times out of 100 — he's going to have that. It's a crazy play. ... We don't fault him.”

— Jack Eichel, American Forward

“We believe in him. He's a good goalie.”

— Mike Sullivan, U.S. Men's Hockey Coach

What’s next

The U.S. team will face Germany on Sunday night, with Connor Hellebuyck expected to start in goal instead of Swayman.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the mental toughness and resilience of the U.S. hockey team, as they were able to bounce back from an early embarrassing goal against their goaltender to ultimately win the game convincingly. Swayman's ability to shake off the unusual goal and his teammates' support for him demonstrated the team's strong chemistry and determination.