U.S. men rally past Denmark, keep pace with Canada for top Olympic seed
In a game that tested their composure, the U. S. men’s hockey team overturned an early shock to beat Denmark 6-3 Saturday night in Milan and remain tied with Canada for the top spot in the preliminary round. The win was powered by the electric first line around Jack Eichel and the Tkachuk brothers, with contributions up and down the roster as the Americans did just enough to erase an early miscue in goal.
Top line drags U. S. back into control
Sitting behind on the scoreboard after an unlikely long-range goal, the Americans leaned on their top trio to flip momentum. Eichel, Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk combined to change the complexion of the game: Eichel set up Brady with a clean faceoff win and, a minute later, scored himself off another wo rthwhile draw. The pair’s chemistry and physical edge helped the U. S. wrestle the game back in its favor midway through the second period.
Brady Tkachuk’s intensity was on full display from the opening shifts. He pestered opponents in the corners, drove hard to the net and celebrated his goal with unfiltered emotion — the kind of energy his teammates say lifts the whole locker room. “Just sticking with it, trusting each other, ” Brady said after the win, pointing to the group’s belief that carried them through the lull.
Defenseman Noah Hanifin provided a timely insurance goal when his shot squeaked through Mads Sogaard and trickled over the line, giving the U. S. some breathing room. Jake Guentzel added a one-timer late in the third, while Jack Hughes finished off another sequence after a goaltending change in the Denmark net.
Early shock, goaltending hiccup and physical edge
The contest began with a jolt when Denmark connected on a rare long-distance strike from near center ice, beating Jeremy Swayman 11 minutes in. The goal — struck from roughly 95 feet — put the U. S. behind and briefly silenced the red, white and blue crowd. Swayman, while rueful about the odd tally, highlighted the group’s resilience after the game. “I’m really proud of this group for staying even-keeled, ” he said. “The confidence never left the group. ”
Denmark pushed again late in the second, marking another soft goal with 2. 6 seconds remaining, but by then the momentum had shifted. A thrown-together sequence of physical battles earlier in the night, led by Brady Tkachuk’s relentlessness, helped tilt the game in the Americans’ favor. The crowd’s chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” returned with every scoring sequence, reflecting the partisan atmosphere that fueled the comeback.
There were also moments of redemption on the scoresheet. A defensive play that accidentally deflected into the U. S. net earlier — initially credited to an opposing forward — was soon balanced out when the same defender contributed an assist on Guentzel’s tally. Goaltender Mads Sogaard exited with an injury late in the third and was replaced, but the Americans had already done enough.
Standings implications and what’s next
With the victory, the U. S. sits at six points in the preliminary standings, level with Canada going into the final day of round-robin play. The Americans will close out pool play against Germany, while the other contending team faces a struggling opponent. If both favorites win in regulation on the final day, the top seed for the knockout bracket will likely come down to goal differential.
For a team built around spirit, physicality and a core of NHL-proven talent, the message after this game was clear: when the starters set the tone and the roster stays composed after a setback, this U. S. squad is hard to stop. As fans and players alike turn their attention to the decisive round-robin matches, usa hockey’s biggest test may be maintaining this blend of edge and execution when the margin for error disappears.
