Griffin Missant
Half-court shots are common in basketball, but it’s rare to see a hockey goal scored from center ice — with a goalie in the net.
The Americans, who were favored to win this Group C matchup, quickly felt the heat from the spirited Danish team, which came into the game as the underdog.
A victory for the United States would likely guarantee advancement to the quarterfinals, whereas a defeat could require a difficult matchup against Sweden.
Following Connor Hellebuyck’s win over Latvia, Jeremy Swayman got the start for Team USA.
The Sporting News takes a look at the horrendous goal Swayman allowed.
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During the men’s ice hockey preliminary match at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Denmark scored an incredible “half-ice” goal to take a 2–1 lead against Team USA.
DENMARK SCORES FROM CENTER ICE. 🤯#WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/jELsaAl6Fb
Danish defenseman Nicholas B. Jensen was credited with the goal at 11:16 in the first period. The shot was made from about 95 feet away, just past the center-ice red line.
Team USA’s 🇺🇸 Jeremy Swayman on the long Denmark goal:
“No [I didn’t see it], it was a flash screen. It was just the perfect height, right between that stands and board level. I truly lost it… No matter how they go in, you have to step up and stop the next one.”
Was it the… pic.twitter.com/IF3N8L8E3o
Jensen seemed to be simply clearing the puck from the neutral zone while near the benches. The puck traveled through the air and surprisingly beat U.S. goaltender Swayman over his right shoulder.
MORE: Complete Olympic men's hockey schedule
Although Team USA has a rotation of goalies, Swayman was the starting goalie against Denmark and ultimately allowed a shot from center ice.
He is making his Olympic debut today against Denmark following his role in leading the U.S. to a gold medal at the 2025 IIHF World Championships.
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Swayman is a goaltender for the Boston Bruins. He is the team’s main starter, having signed a significant eight-year, $66 million extension in October 2024, which guarantees his stay in Boston through the 2031–32 season.
Since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Swayman has played his entire professional career with the Bruins organization.
Team USA coach Mike Sullivan selected Swayman to start against Denmark mainly to handle his goaltenders’ workload amid a busy schedule of three games in four nights.
The United States competed against Denmark on Saturday and is scheduled to play against Germany on Sunday. By deploying Swayman in the match against Denmark, the coaching staff ensured that Hellebuyck would remain well-rested for the decisive round-robin encounter with Germany.
Swayman is widely recognized as one of the most promising young goaltenders in the NHL.
While he made a notable mistake at the 2026 Winter Olympics, his impressive professional record and multimillion-dollar contract highlight his status as a top athlete.
He regularly ranks near the top in Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx), a key stat that showcases a goalie’s skill in stopping shots that seem difficult to save.
Throughout his career with the Bruins, Swayman has maintained a strong win-loss record and was named a 2024 NHL All-Star.
Team USA is leveraging its depth over a demanding schedule of three games in four nights, with the current roster featuring three top-tier goaltenders.
Griffin Missant joined The Sporting News in 2025 as a fantasy football intern. He graduated from Grand Valley State University, where he covered the Lakers football program. He has also worked for Sleeper and the Fantasy Trade Room. He has played fantasy for over a decade, and has been passionate about fantasy football ever since.