MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 12: Brock Nelson #29 of United States celebrates his goal with teammate Jack Hughes #86 of United States during the Men’s Preliminary Group A match between Latvia and United States on day six of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 12, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by RvS.Media/Robert Hradil/Getty Images) Getty Images
Maybe it was the extra week off.
Maybe it was the competition, or lack thereof.
One thing is certain: Devils’ center Jack Hughes didn’t look at all bothered by the lower body injury that prevented him from dressing for the Devils’ final three games — all losses — before the Olympic break.
In fact, Hughes looked fantastic.
He picked up two assists in his Olympic debut, a 5-1 win for Team USA over Latvia in group play, at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milano, Italy.
It was his first game since exiting the Devils Jan. 29 overtime win against the Nashville Predators late in the first period – a span of two full weeks. Hughes had been listed as day-to-day from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5. According to Devils’ head coach Sheldon Keefe, the Devils’ training staff wouldn’t clear Hughes, who’d been skating on his own, for two crucial Metro Division games last week.
But the face of the franchise was clearly not exaggerating last Sunday when he said he, “felt good,” after practicing with his American teammates. Hughes set up Avalanche center Brock Nelson twice during the second period, when the Americans scored three unanswered goals to chase Latvian starter Elvis Merzlikins.
Despite having just six active NHLers on its roster, including Merzlikins, who shut out the Hughes-less Devils last week, Latvia managed to escape the first period tied at 1-1.
But the game wasn’t as close as the score suggested.
Two US goals were waived off early in the first period. Already up 1-0 after Brady Tkachuk scored 5 minutes, 29 seconds in, the Americans appeared to take a 2-0 lead on a Quinn Hughes’ goal that was eventually ruled offsides after video review.
Not long after, Renars Krastenbergs tied it for Latvia at 1-1.
The Americans then appeared to take a 2-1 lead on a deflection by Nelson, but again the Latvians challenged, this time for goalie interference, and again they won the challenge and the goal was disallowed.
If the Latvians were harboring hopes of another American Olympic upset – they tied USA 3-3 the last time the countries played in Turin 20 years ago – those hopes were dashed midway through the second.
Jack Hughes drew two defenders as he circled the net and found Nelson in the slot for what turned out to be the game-winner at 10:38.
The Americans put the game out of reach scoring twice in the final 2:25 of the second.
Tage Thompson scored a power play goal on a nifty backhander from just outside Merzlikins’ crease, and 2:13 later Nelson netted his second on a pretty passing play with Jack Hughes and Matthew Tkachuk.
Merzlikins, who was under non-stop pressure in the second, was replaced by Arturs Silovs to start the third.
The Americans needed all of 2:35 to solve Silovs.
This time it was American captain Auston Matthews, with Jack Eichel and Quinn Hughes each picking up their second assists of the game.
Team USA (1-0-0) plays Denmark (0-1-0) at 3 p.m. EST, Saturday afternoon. Like Latvia, Denmark is short on NHL talent with just six sort of active NHL players. Goalie Frederik Andersen and forwards Nikolaj Ehlers, Lars Eller, and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Ehlers had an assist and Andersen made 23 saves in Denmark’s 3-1 loss to Germany on Thursday. Oscar Fisker Molgaard, who has split time between NHL Seattle and AHL Coachella Valley had a goal for Denmark in the loss. Another part-time NHLer, goalie Mads Sogaard, plays for the Ottawa Senators.
Hard to know what to take from games like this. Team USA is basically the only “real” team in its group. In a best-on-best tournament the team with all NHL players should win games against teams with just a handful of real NHLers going away. And that’s what the Americans did. The shots were ugly (USA 48, Latvia 15). The first disallowed goal was offsides by inches (centimeters? since they’re in Europe). The second is probably a goal under NHL rules since J.T. Miller was mainly in the crease as opposed to actively interfering with Merzlikins. Everyone, including Jack Hughes, looked great. But it’s Latvia. But hey, they were supposed to run away with it and they did.