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Jake Mozarsky
On Thursday, Team USA hockey begins its quest for gold, looking to bring home the medal for the first time since 1980.
As NHL players make their return to the Olympics for the first time since 2014, the U.S. has one of the most talented rosters it’s ever assembled. Mike Sullivan’s team has talent, scoring depth, elite goaltending and guys that will do the dirty work needed to go through a long stretch. Now, it’s time for the squad to prove how far U.S. hockey has come.
WATCH: Team USA hockey at the Winter Olympics LIVE on Peacock
The journey starts against Latvia, a team that isn’t projected to finish high in the tournament. But, the team might be overlooked; with six NHL players on the roster and a potential top-10 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Moreover, there is recent history with these teams, with Latvia defeating the U.S. in the 2023 IIHF World Championship third-place game to claim their first ever medal in major men’s hockey.
Both teams have a chance to start something special in Milan on Thursday. For the U.S., it can propel a run to the gold medal, and for Latvia, it would be one of the biggest upsets in history to continue the rise of Latvian hockey.
Here’s where you can find the contest on television and streaming.
MORE 2026 OLYMPICS: Live medal tracker | Viewer's guide | Day-by-day schedule
Team USA’s first game against Latvia will be broadcast nationally on USA Network. Those looking to live stream the game can via Peacock, which serves as the streaming home of the Games.
Peacock will carry every event of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics live. The NBC-owned streaming service’s sports programming features live coverage of NFL Sunday Night Football, the NBA, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Premier League soccer, Big Ten football and basketball, Notre Dame football, Big East and Big 12 basketball, PGA Tour golf, and more.
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Both teams’ Olympic campaigns start on Thursday, Feb. 12 at 3:10 p.m.
It is being held at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, which is the centerpiece for the tournament.
Team USA enters Group C of the 2026 Winter Olympics as a heavy favorite. All of their preliminary round games follow a consistent schedule for fans in the United States, with puck drop set for 3:10 PM ET.
If Team USA wins their group or finishes as the top second-place team, they will likely bypass the Qualification Playoff and head straight to the Quarterfinals.
Jake Mozarsky joined The Sporting News as an Editorial Intern in August 2025 after earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University. He has previously written for Marquee Sports Network, Chicago This Week, Inside NU and The Daily Northwestern.