USA Hockey at 2024 Olympics: Hellebuyck Leads Team to Victory, Faces Denmark Next

USA Men’s Hockey Team Continues Olympic Dominance with 6-3 Victory Over Denmark

MILAN – The U.S. Men’s hockey team improved to 2-0 at the 2026 Winter Olympics with a hard-fought 6-3 victory over Denmark on Saturday, February 14th. The Americans, after falling behind early, showcased their offensive firepower and resilience to secure the win at the Milano Cortina Games.

Denmark surprised the Americans early, taking a 2-1 lead after the first period. Nick Olesen scored less than two minutes into the game, and Nicholas B. Jensen added a goal from center ice that slipped past U.S. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman. However, the U.S. Team, brimming with NHL talent, responded emphatically in the second period.

Brady Tkachuk and Jack Eichel scored just 57 seconds apart, both goals stemming from faceoff wins. Noah Hanifin then extended the U.S. Lead to 4-2. Despite a late second-period goal from Phillip Bruggisser, cutting the deficit to 4-3 with only 2.6 seconds remaining, the Americans maintained control.

Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes sealed the victory with third-period goals, bringing the final score to 6-3. The U.S. Team fired a total of 47 shots on the Danish net, demonstrating their relentless offensive pressure.

“I mean, it’s just battle and adversity and do whatever you have to do to stop the puck, and I’m really proud of this group for staying even keeled,” said Swayman after the game. “The confidence never left the group and that’s a serious trait at this stage in the tournament. And the guys rallied and we got it done.”

The U.S. Team’s victory was particularly notable given the challenges they faced in the first period, mirroring a similar start in their opening game against Latvia. In that game, two U.S. Goals were disallowed. Against Denmark, the early deficit tested their resolve, but they once again demonstrated their ability to overcome adversity.

The Americans’ roster boasts a wealth of NHL experience, and their depth proved crucial in breaking down a determined Danish squad. Denmark, which features NHL players Nikolaj Ehlers and Frederik Andersen, had opened Olympic play with a 3-1 loss to Germany on Thursday.

With the win, the U.S. Team now stands at 2-0 in Group C and has a chance to clinch a bye to the quarterfinals. They will face Germany on Sunday, February 15th, at 3:10 p.m. ET, with the game broadcast live on USA Network and Peacock. A victory against Germany would guarantee the Americans a direct path to the quarterfinal round.

U.S. Head coach Mike Sullivan emphasized the team’s continued improvement throughout the game. “I love the resilience of our team and especially the response after the first period,” he said. “They do a great job of dragging guys into the fight, they score big goals, and make big plays at big times,” Jack Eichel added, praising the contributions of Brady and Matthew Tkachuk.

The U.S. Team’s ability to respond to challenges and maintain composure will be key as they navigate the remainder of the Olympic tournament. As Eichel noted, “No game’s going to be easy, we realize that, and it was good of the group to continue to play our game for 60 minutes.”