U.S. men's hockey team cruises to 5-1 win over Latvia

The U.S. extremity opus — "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd — blared 7 times implicit arena speakers connected Thursday night. Twice, the solemnisation was lone short-lived. 

Bouncing backmost from having a brace of goals wiped retired by coach's challenges, the U.S. opened the Olympics by rolling past Latvia 5-1 successful a ascendant showcase of immoderate of the country's champion NHL players. Brock Nelson scored twice, 4 players had 2 assists apiece, and determination was accumulation up and down the lineup.

"We judge successful the extent we have," winger Jake Guentzel said. "There's bully players connected each line. That's conscionable wherever American hockey is close now."

Brock Nelson of the United States celebrates his extremity with teammates during the men's Group A lucifer against Latvia successful the Winter Olympics astatine Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena connected Feb. 12, 2026, successful Milan, Italy. Maryam Majd / Getty Images

After a weird archetypal play with a mates of video reviews and a tying extremity by Latvia, the Americans recovered their groove and for agelong stretches hardly fto their opponents person the puck. The U.S. outshot Latvia 38-18 and needed starter Connor Hellebuyck to marque lone 17 saves. 

"I felt similar we controlled the play," halfway Jack Eichel said. "We're going to proceed to get amended each crippled successful this tournament, each play successful this tournament. That's our goal, and it's a bully commencement for us."

Elvis Merzlikins was nether siege astatine the different end, and aft Nelson's 2nd extremity helium sat successful the crease with his caput bowed successful his lap. An odd-man unreserved became a mentation of the Harlem Globetrotters connected crystal with walk aft pass: Jack Hughes to member Quinn to Matthew Tkachuk, backmost to Jack and past to Nelson to pat into a half-open nett with 11.1 seconds near successful the 2nd period.

"I don't deliberation there's overmuch to do," Merzlikins said. "If that feline wouldn't score, astir apt the different feline would people due to the fact that I felt wholly 2 unfastened guys, and it's hard to prevention thing similar that."

Arturs Silovs of Team Latvia reacts aft conceding a extremity to the U.S. successful the 3rd play of their Group A lucifer successful the Winter Olympics astatine Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena connected Feb. 12, 2026 successful Milan, Italy. Bruce Bennett / Getty Images

Brady Tkachuk scored the archetypal U.S. extremity of the tourney little than six minutes in, and Tage Thompson roofed a nifty backhander connected the powerfulness play, making manager Mike Sullivan look astute for putting the 6-foot-6 winger connected the loaded apical unit. Four goals connected 32 shots was capable to pursuit Merzlikins, who was pulled to commencement the 3rd for Arturs Silovs.

Captain Auston Matthews welcomed Silovs to the Olympics with a power-play goal, assisted connected by Eichel and Quinn Hughes. Each of them had 2 assists, on with Matthew Tkachuk and Jack Hughes.

"I conscionable deliberation the extent that we have, it showed," Brady Tkachuk said. "I thought everybody played a large crippled tonight. You conscionable spot the buy-in. You spot the buy-in of each enactment playing the close way."

The U.S. plays Denmark connected Saturday nighttime earlier wrapping up the preliminary circular 24 hours aboriginal against Germany. 

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• Olympics
• Hockey