The United States men’s ice hockey team secured a hard-fought 6-3 victory over Denmark on Saturday, advancing their campaign for an Olympic gold medal—their first since 1980.
Tournament Progress
Featuring top National Hockey League talent for the first time since 2014, Team USA claimed their second win of the competition following a convincing 5-1 defeat of Latvia in the opener. The match unfolded at the Santagiulia Arena in Milan during group stage play.
First Period Drama
Denmark struck first through Nick Olesen, but Matt Boldy quickly leveled the score for the Americans. A stunning goal from Nicholas B. Jensen at center ice put the Danes ahead 2-1, testing Team USA’s resolve early on.
Second Period Surge
Brady Tkach of the Ottawa Senators equalized early in the second frame, firing past Denmark’s Mads Sogaard. Jack Eichel, who assisted on Tkach’s tally, soon added his own wrist shot to take a 3-2 lead. Noah Hanifin followed less than a minute later, marking his first Olympic goal and extending the advantage to 4-2. Phillip Bruggisser responded for Denmark, narrowing the gap to 4-3.
Third Period Dominance
Team USA sealed the win in the final period. Auston Matthews recovered a loose puck to set up Jake Guentzel for a powerful shot past Sogaard. Jack Hughes capped the scoring with a skillful deke around a defender, beating backup goalie Frederik Dickow off the pad to make it 6-3.
Next Challenge
Group C leaders Team USA face Germany on Sunday in their next outing, with momentum firmly on their side.
