It wasn’t always pretty, but Team USA pulled out a 6-3 win over Denmark on Saturday to remain undefeated in preliminary round play of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The Americans had to overcome another slow start, but Brady Tkachuk and Jack Eichel managed to spark the team in the second period.
Trailing 2-1 after the first period, the U.S. needed a big play to turn the tide. The line featuring Eichel between Matthew and Brady Tkachuk provided two. Brady Tkachuk scored the tying goal after ripping home a wrist shot off an offensive zone faceoff.
Less than a minute later, Eichel gave the Americans their first lead when he pulled off an almost identical play from the other side of the ice. He found a loose puck off the draw and uncorked a shot that was past Danish goaltender Mads Sogaard before he knew what happened.
Team USA needed that effort because it started slowly for the second straight game. Some disjointed play from the Americans was magnified by Jeremy Swayman, who got the start in goal while Connor Hellebuyck rested.
Two of the three goals Swayman allowed could be laid almost exclusively at his feet. The most egregious one came in the first period when Nicholas Jensen floated a shot in from the center red line that beat Swayman over the shoulder.
Noah Hanifin scored what would ultimately become the game-winner when he followed up his own blocked shot and snuck the rebound through the legs of Sogaard. Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes were able to provide some insurance in the third period as the Americans outscored Denmark 5-1 after falling behind 2-1.
Team USA is now in position to take a top-two seed into the knockout round, and it can finish off an undefeated run in preliminary play with a win over Leon Draisaitl and Germany on Sunday afternoon.