Ice hockey - Germany stun Sweden to gain seat at semis

Ice Hockey - Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Men's Quarterfinal Match - Sweden v Germany - Kwandong Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea - February 21, 2018 - Patrick Reimer of Germany celebrates their fourth goal with Yasin Ehliz. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

GANGNEUNG, South Korea (Reuters) - Germany shocked top-seeded Sweden 4-3 in overtime on Wednesday, beating the Swedes for the first time ever in Olympic play and booking a spot in the semi-final round of the men's ice hockey tournament.

Patrick Reimer scored the game winner a minute and a half into the extra period.

Ice Hockey - Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Men's Quarterfinal Match - Sweden v Germany - Kwandong Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea - February 21, 2018 - Patrick Reimer of Germany scores their fourth goal to win the match. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

The win means that Germany will contend for a medal which would be their first in more than four decades.

Sweden had beaten Germany 1-0 in the preliminary round last week.

Since German unification in 1990, the Germans have never beaten Sweden in Olympic play, going 0-5. Even before that, the best result a German national team had earned against the Swedes in the Olympics was a 1-1 tie in 1984 at Sarajevo. East Germany were also winless, with a 0-1 record.

Ice Hockey - Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Men's Quarterfinal Match - Sweden v Germany - Kwandong Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea - February 21, 2018 - Viktor Fasth of Sweden looks dejected at the end of the match. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

The last time a German team won a medal at the Olympics was 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria, when they won bronze.

Germany will take on Canada in the semi-finals.

Ice Hockey - Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Men's Quarterfinal Match - Sweden v Germany - Kwandong Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea - February 21, 2018 - Germany players celebrate at the end of the match. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

(Reporting By Dan Burns; Editing by Christian Radnedge)

FILE PHOTO - Ice Hockey - Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Men's Quarterfinal Match - Sweden v Germany - Kwandong Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea - February 21, 2018 - Patrick Reimer of Germany celebrates at the end of the match. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Ice Hockey - Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Men's Quarterfinal Match - Sweden v Germany - Kwandong Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea - February 21, 2018 - German coaches celebrate after the match. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Ice Hockey - Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Men's Quarterfinal Match - Sweden v Germany - Kwandong Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea - February 21, 2018 - Christian Ehrhoff and goalie Danny aus den Birken of Germany celebrates after the match. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor

Ice Hockey - Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Men's Quarterfinal Match - Sweden v Germany - Kwandong Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea - February 21, 2018 - Marcel Noebels of Germany celebrates as Viktor Stalberg of Sweden and Viktor Fasth of Sweden look dejected after Patrick Reimer of Germany scored their fourth goal to win the match. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon