Men's Olympic Ice Hockey
2026 Olympic
Hockey
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Team USA has beaten Denmark 6-3 in a preliminary game in men's hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Nick Olesen and Matt Boldy traded goals in the first period before Jeremy Swayman made a brutal error to allow Nicholas Jensen to score from the neutral zone.
Denmark led 2-1 after the first but goals from Brady Tkachuk, Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin in the second put the U.S. ahead. Philip Bruggisser then pulled a goal back for the Danes with just 2.6 seconds left in the second.
Jack Guentzel scored midway through the third period to restore Team USA's two-goal lead, before Jack Hughes added a sixth.
Share your reaction to the game with us at live@theathletic.com.
A fair trade, if you ask me.
After Connor Hellebuyck got the nod for Team USA's opening game against Latvia on Thursday, Mike Sullivan has turned to Jeremy Swayman for today's contest.
Hellebuyck is the backup, which means that Jake Oettinger is the goalie not dressing again. That's a departure from last year's 4 Nations Face-Off, when Oettinger was given one start alongside three for Hellebuyck.
Group B
Those results combine to mean Slovakia finishes in first place in the group, an outcome hardly anyone would've predicted just a few days ago. Check out more on the implications of that at the link below.
Group C
GO FURTHER
Why the U.S., Canada or Sweden could be eliminated early from Olympic men’s hockey
According to Dom Luszczyszyn's projections model, Team USA has a 92 percent likelihood of winning today's game. The forecast puts the expected score at 5.2-1.8.
Our tournament forecast currently gives Team USA a 91 percent chance of finishing in the top two overall during the preliminary stage, but 70 percent comes from the likelihood of finishing second. If the U.S. and Canada both win all three of their preliminary games, as they're expected to, determining the top seed will come down to goal difference. Team USA is currently +4 after one game, while Canada is +9 through two games.
Brock Nelson scored two goals for Team USA against Latvia on Thursday. Speaking after the game, he certainly sounded like he had a good time.
Asked whether he felt like a kid out there, he responded, "Yeah, for sure. I felt all the emotions coming out there. I was just trying to soak it all in. It means the world to have this opportunity, so just super excited to get out there and get it going."
On whether he was nervous, he replied, "Yeah, for sure, but at the same time, I just want to go out and play. We have a hell of a group here, and good chemistry."
I just walked past the thousands of fenced-off fans waiting to be let in for tonight's U.S.-Denmark game. Despite the backdrop of Donald Trump's saber-rattling over Greenland, a Danish territory, there were no signs, no boos, protest chants, no full-on line brawls. As Danish TV host Thomas Kristensen told me yesterday, this won't be like the heated U.S.-Canada atmosphere at 4 Nations, which took place amid Trump's talk of making Canada "the 51st state." Kristensen said Denmark knows how to separate sports and politics.
"You will not see anything from any Danish spectator going specifically at the American players, in no way,” Kristensen said. “The Danish people know that this is sport, and (not) the battle about Greenland.”
The Athletic has live coverage of USA vs. Germany from the 2026 Olympic men’s hockey preliminary round.
MILAN — When Frans Nielsen was in seventh grade, his entire class went on an overnight field trip.
To Greenland.
This was the prettiest of the five goals Team USA scored against Latvia on Thursday, a beautiful passing move that ended with Brock Nelson firing into an open net.
Check out the replay below.
Mikkel Aagaard
Cedric Ramqaj and Thibaud Chatel from NL Ice Data: Aagaard is a late bloomer, having been through the ECHL, AHL, USports, and the Swedish second level before finally reaching the SHL at 27. While he rarely drives his line, he's good at everything. Aagaard is a master of finding open spots to be given the puck, making space for the others, being around the net and getting shots and chances.
Star goaltender Frederik Andersen has struggled in the NHL this season.
Everything for Denmark hinges on Andersen returning to form. He was top-10 in GSAx (goals saved above expected) per game over the last three seasons, but ranks 49th out of 70 goalies (minimum 10 games) this season.
The Danes have some weapons up front in Nikolaj Ehlers and Oliver Bjorkstrand. But if Andersen can’t steal games, Denmark will likely have a short tournament. Even then, its medal chances are low.
MILAN — They called themselves “The Three Amigos.”
Just imagine what it must have been like for Quinn Hughes and Brady Tkachuk when, as teenagers, they lived together with Brady’s dad, Keith, for two years in a townhouse the Tkachuk family was renting in Ann Arbor Mich., while Keith’s two “billet sons” were playing for the U.S. National Team Development Program.
“Fun,” Quinn says, smiling. “He taught me how to drive. I don’t even know if it was legal.”
Much has been said about Connor Hellebuyck's struggles in the biggest games, but he got off to a strong start in this tournament facing Latvia on Thursday. The Winnipeg Jets goalie stopped 17 of the 18 shots he faced in Team USA's 5-1 win.
Interestingly, it was Jeremy Swayman and not Jake Oettinger who backed up Hellebuyck on Thursday.
Competing for a medal is a long shot for a Danish team that looks likely to finish fourth in Group C after an opening game loss to Germany. Denmark has a path to second with a decisive win over Latvia in its final game, but the chances of that aren’t high.
The Athletic has live coverage of USA vs. Germany from the 2026 Olympic men’s hockey preliminary round.
MILAN — In a short tournament, roles and certainly line combinations are not set in stone.
You also have to be selfless. Accept whatever role you’re put in for the good of the team.
Despite outshooting Germany 38-26, Denmark fell to a 3-1 loss in its opening game on Thursday. It took only 23 seconds for the Danes to fall behind, allowing Leon Draisaitl to score the opening goal. Oscar Molgaard leveled the game later in the first period for Denmark, but that's all the offense they could muster as Tim Stutzle scored twice for the Germans in the second period.
Head coach: Sweden Mikael Gath
Forwards
Defensemen
Goalies
Team USA returned to the Olympic Village at 1:15 a.m. local time following its game against Latvia Thursday night, leading head coach Mike Sullivan to forgo having the group practice yesterday. Instead, he opted to hold a team meeting in the Village.
The U.S. did get on the ice earlier today, though, doing a morning skate at noon to make its final preparations for this game.