MILAN — This preliminary matchup was tighter than the Americans would’ve liked.
Denmark, equipped with just five true NHLers, kept a close margin on the United States men’s hockey team through 40-plus minutes of play Saturday night before the latter pulled out a 6-3 win.
It was far from what the Olympic tournament expected from Team USA as a whole, but at least one key player was his usual self and ensured the Stars and Stripes emerged victorious.
Brady Tkachuk was a lone warrior for too much of this game.
If not for the 6-foot-4 power forward, the U.S. may not have been able to shake off the ugly 2-1 goal that was scored from the red line by Denmark’s Nicholas B. Jensen in the first period.
Tkachuk was right in the middle of everything, stirring it up in front of the net at the intermission whistle and playing the physically imposing game he has built his reputation on.
His emphatic celebration that followed his game-tying goal roughly halfway through the middle frame was a palpable jolt to the lineup.
Team USA was then in control for the remainder of the game.
“He’s a beast, he’s a beast,” head coach Mike Sullivan said of Tkachuk. “His energy is contagious. He’s so vocal on the bench, in between periods, he’s a positive guy. He drags everybody into the fight, literally and figuratively. That’s what we love about him. He’s an elite player. I think his hockey sense is underrated and flies under the radar. Because I think when people think of Brady, they think of his brute and his brawn. He certainly brings that element, but I don’t think he gets enough credit for how intelligent he is as a hockey player.”
Dragging teammates into the fight is for what Tkachuk and his brother and linemate, Matthew, are known.
In truth, the younger Tkachuk brother is just salivating for combat, willing to lead the troop directly into a war zone and is fearlessly enjoying every single moment of it.
“I guess that’s what I pride myself on, if I feel like I’m not playing well with the puck and making plays, I can fall back on that and try to make an impact physically to get the hands going,” said Tkachuk, who now has a goal in each of his first two Olympic games.
Aside from Tkachuk, the U.S. played the first period like it was some throwaway game up in Rochester.
There wasn’t much oomph in anything the Americans did.
Denmark opened the scoring less than two minutes into the game, when Zach Werenski turned the puck over before it pinballed in off him in front.
After Matt Boldy’s wraparound goal evened the score at 1-1, USA goalie Jeremy Swayman had a big “yikes” moment in his Olympic debut.
Jensen flung the puck from around the Denmark bench, and it somehow found its way past Swayman.
The lower bowl at Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena collectively gasped as it became clear what had just happened.
The unexpected goal gave the Danes a 2-1 lead going into the first intermission.
It was Tkachuk, however, who got the U.S. back on track with a goal off a faceoff win to even the score again.
The Senators captain was buzzing, which got the Americans going in the second period.
In the span of seven minutes, Team USA scored twice — one from Jack Eichel and another from Noah Hanifin — to pull ahead 4-2.
“I’m really proud of this group for staying even-keeled,” said Swayman, who stopped 18 of the 21 shots he faced. “The confidence never left the group and that’s a serious trait at this stage in the tournament. And the guys rallied and we got it done.”
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