Swede Revenge? Hughes Brothers lift Team USA over Jesper Bratt, Jacob Markstrom and Sweden

The episode opens with Zach Berman celebrating a thrilling victory for Team USA’s women’s hockey team, but quickly pivots to the men’s Olympic quarterfinal where the American squad defeated Sweden for the first time since 1960 (Zach Berman argues it’s a bigger moment than the TJ Oshie “Shootout” win in Sochi). A lot of attention is paid to the Devils’ connections in the game—especially Jack Hughes, who excelled for Team USA, and Jesper Bratt, benched by Sweden until the third period. Zach Berman criticizes coaching decisions for both teams, notably Mike Sullivan’s defensive approach and Sweden’s use of Jacob Markstrom over Jesper Wallstedt. Markstrom, often maligned by Devils fans, actually delivered an impressive performance for Sweden, almost frustrating Team USA and risking a spot in Zach Berman's personal "least favorite athletes" list. However, Team USA prevailed in overtime with a clutch goal by Quinn Hughes, Jack’s brother and a player Zach Berman laments the Devils missed out on. The win sets up a semifinal clash with Slovakia and discussions about other Olympic games, notably Switzerland’s heartbreaking collapse against Finland—featuring several Devils alumni. The middle of the episode shifts to Olympic betting insights with FanDuel, including breakdowns of the odds for different medal round matchups. Zach Berman analyzes each team’s chances, with America heavily favored against Slovakia, but cautions listeners about betting against the powerhouse US and Canadian teams. Detailed analysis follows about Canada and Finland’s rosters, including the depth and star power on both sides, setting the stage for an expected USA-Canada gold medal showdown. Towards the close, Zach Berman reflects on Team USA’s strengths and weaknesses, especially their roster construction and missing skill players like Jason Robertson or Cole Caufield. There's critical commentary about the Devils management and speculation about the next Olympic cycle with future stars. He wraps up with enthusiasm for the upcoming games and encourages listener engagement—as well as his ongoing campaign to “fire Tom Fitzgerald.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.