US hockey team storms back from early deficit to crush Denmark in dominant performance

It was not beauteous successful the aboriginal going, but the U.S. hockey squad picked up the gait and showed wherefore it is simply a favourite to play for a golden medal.

After trailing 2-1 done the archetypal period, the Americans dominated connected discourtesy to instrumentality a 6-3 triumph implicit Denmark Saturday successful the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.

The Americans scored 3 unanswered goals to unfastened the 2nd period, with 4 Nations cult leader Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators), Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights) and Noah Hanifin (Vegas Golden Knights) uncovering the backmost of the net. 

Denmark, though, was not going retired without a fight, putting a 3rd extremity past Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins) earlier the horn sounded.

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The United States' Brady Tkachuk, right, celebrates aft scoring his team’s 2nd extremity during a preliminary circular lucifer of men's crystal hockey against Denmark astatine the 2026 Winter Olympics successful Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

It was mendacious anticipation for them, however, due to the fact that Jake Guentzel (Tampa Bay Lighting) scored, and Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils) added different for bully measurement precocious successful the third.

Both sets of brothers connected the squad — Brady and Matthew Tkachuk and Jack and Quinn Hughes — each had a constituent successful the contest. Fourteen players had points for the Americans with a antithetic extremity scorer each clip the lamp was lit.

The United States' Jack Eichel, 2nd right, celebrates aft scoring his team’s 3rd extremity during a preliminary circular lucifer of men's crystal hockey against Denmark astatine the 2026 Winter Olympics successful Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Swayman struggled aboriginal on, particularly arsenic Denmark's 2nd extremity was scored from astir halfway ice, but helium recovered his footing successful the last 2 periods. Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) got the commencement successful the archetypal game, and Jake Oettinger (Dallas Stars) volition apt beryllium successful the crease successful their adjacent game.

The Americans had 47 shots connected extremity compared to Denmark's 21.

The U.S. ends preliminary play Sunday with a crippled against Germany astatine 3:10 p.m. ET. The Americans volition erstwhile again beryllium dense favorites, and a triumph volition enactment them into the knockout stage.

The Americans tin besides spell close to the knockout signifier with an overtime loss. With a regularisation loss, their destiny would beryllium determined by Canada's crippled against France and constituent differentials with Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.

The United States' Brady Tkachuk, right, challenges Denmark's Oliver Bjorkstrand during a preliminary circular lucifer of men's crystal hockey astatine the 2026 Winter Olympics successful Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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But arsenic a dense favourite against a German squad with conscionable 8 NHL players, the U.S. whitethorn not request to worry.

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