Auston Matthews: 3 Points & Olympic History for Team USA | 2024 Winter Olympics

MILAN – Team USA continued its dominant run through the preliminary round of the Winter Olympic men’s hockey tournament, defeating Germany 5-1 on Sunday at Santagiulia Arena. The victory secured the top seed in Group C and an automatic bye into the quarterfinals for the Americans.

Auston Matthews, captain of the U.S. Squad, led the charge with a two-goal, one-assist performance, showcasing the offensive prowess that makes him one of the NHL’s elite players. His impact extended beyond the scoresheet, inspiring his teammates with a committed two-way game, according to U.S. Coach Mike Sullivan.

“I think it inspires the group the way he played tonight,” Sullivan said. “All our guys know what he’s capable of. He’s an elite player, he’s one of the best players in the world. When he does a lot of the little things and he’s committed to play on both sides of the puck like he was tonight, I think he’s an inspiration to the group.”

The Americans finished the preliminary round with a 3-0-0-0 record, boasting a plus-11 goal differential. They will enter the quarterfinals as the No. 2 seed, trailing only Team Canada, who also went undefeated in Group A with a plus-17 goal differential. Team USA’s next game is scheduled for Wednesday, where they will face the winner of Tuesday’s qualification playoff between Sweden and Latvia.

Matthews opened the scoring late in the first period, setting up Zach Werenski with a clever pass at February 15th‘s 19:51 mark. Described as a “great pass” by Werenski, the play highlighted Matthews’ vision and playmaking ability. “He’s a very talented player. Not many players would be capable of that,” Werenski said. “I saw him looking at me out of the corner of his eye and a player of his caliber, with his talent, is going to make that play.” It was Werenski’s first-ever Olympic goal.

Early in the second period, Matthews extended the lead, capitalizing on a rebound following a shot by Quinn Hughes. He deftly pushed the puck past German goalkeeper Maximilian Franzreb at 3:25, making it 2-0. This goal underscored Matthews’ ability to find the back of the net in crucial moments.

Brock Faber of the Minnesota Wild and Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres also contributed goals for Team USA, further solidifying their offensive dominance. Matthews’ assist on Thompson’s goal completed his three-point night.

The Americans’ strong performance was supported by solid goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck, who made 23 saves. The team’s overall control of play was evident in their 37 shots on goal compared to Germany’s 24.

Germany managed to break through in the third period with a goal from Tim Stützle of the Ottawa Senators, but the Americans’ lead proved insurmountable. Franzreb finished with 32 saves for Germany, who finished with a 1-0-2-0 record and will face France in a qualification playoff on Tuesday.

Matthews’ performance also added him to an exclusive list of American players. He became the fifth American player with multiple power-play goals in an Olympic tournament with NHL players, joining Brian Gionta (3 in 2006), Brian Rolston (3 in 2006), Zach Parise (2 in 2010) and John LeClair (2 in 2002).

“Confidence in our group continues to grow,” Matthews said. “In each match we have taken steps in the right direction to advance our game heading into the Quarterfinals. It’s good to see.”

The win over Germany builds on Team USA’s earlier victories against Latvia and Denmark, demonstrating their growing confidence and cohesion as they progress through the tournament. The Americans are looking to build on this momentum as they head into the single-elimination stage, aiming for a medal in men’s ice hockey at the February 16th Winter Olympics.

Faber highlighted Matthews’ overall impact on the team, stating, “He’s an unbelievable player, and when you see him in a tournament like this, you realize how well he plays and how solid he is on both ends of the court. His playmaking ability, his puck command, he’s a nightmare for other teams, and for us, the defense, it’s a ton of fun to watch him play.”