Team USA Starts Olympics with a Win
MILAN — The red, white, and blue train pulled out about half an hour behind schedule.
But once it was in motion, it didn’t seem to lose any momentum.
The U.S. squad secured a 5-1 victory over Latvia on Thursday night, marking the start of the Olympics that held high expectations for the Americans.
Compared to Canada’s earlier 5-0 win over the Czech Republic on the same ice, this match was noticeably more tense. However, by the final buzzer, it was all smiles for Team USA.
A key factor was the fourth line duo of Brock Nelson and Jack Hughes, who, along with either JT Miller or Vincent Trocheck, formed the strongest line for the Americans throughout the game.
Even after being involved in a controversial goal that was initially disallowed, Nelson kept his cool. He notched a goal and an assist in the first period, but the scoreboard was tied 1-1 after Latvia successfully challenged one of his goals, leaving Team USA visibly rattled.
Then, he found the net again, receiving a clean pass from his brother Hughes and skillfully finishing with a backhand at 10:38 of the second period.
From that point onward, the Americans exuded relief and confidence.
As the second period wrapped up, the score was 4-1, and Team USA clearly asserted its superiority. The final period felt like a mere formality; Tage Thompson scored during a power play, and Nelson netted his second goal, courtesy of Hughes again.
In a somewhat puzzling move, Latvia swapped out their goalkeeper Elvis Merzlikins for the backup, although it’s unclear if this was due to an injury or poor performance.
All in all, the opener wasn’t quite the spectacle Team USA had anticipated. With all teams having played at least once, Canada undoubtedly looked stronger in comparison, setting a benchmark for the Americans.
Defensively, the combination of Jakob Slavin and Brock Faber, who had been solid earlier, struggled after the first period when some unexpected mistakes turned into opportunities for Latvia, allowing them to pull within one goal thanks to Lenars Krastenbergs.
Initially, the American defense was chaotic. They seemed overwhelmed by Latvia’s intensity, with Auston Matthews getting hit in the face by a high elbow that went unpunished. They were visibly anxious.
Every time they seemed to gain a foothold, Latvia’s video coach, Peteris Groms, was there to throw a wrench in things, erasing two American goals for offside and interference.
2026 Winter Olympics
Fortunately, the struggle was short-lived. The Tkachuk brothers appeared unfazed, with Brady coming in strong just over five minutes into the game, while he, Matthew, and Jack Eichel worked effectively together all night.
Noah Hanifin, the seventh defenseman, showed increased involvement after the shaky start, helping to stabilize the lineup.
Quinn Hughes and Thompson made strong impressions in their Olympic debuts, with Hughes constantly seeking the puck and creating offensive opportunities, and Thompson throwing his weight around the crease.
Dylan Larkin and Kyle Connor, both former Michigan players, seemed to click on the third line, adding further depth to the team.
Matthews capped the night off with a power play goal to push the score to 5-1, and Jack Hughes displayed a significant transformation compared to his earlier performance at the 4 Nations last year.
The Americans, like their Swedish and Canadian counterparts, seemed to improve as the game progressed. If they maintain this upward trajectory, the rough start could very well be overshadowed.
