olympic hockey ot rules question surfaces as Tkachuk brothers relive Torino memories in Milan

Matthew and Brady Tkachuk are back in Italy two decades after running loose through an Olympic village as kids — and this time they’re doing it as key players for the United States. The brothers have combined for two goals and six assists in three victories, helping their team into the quarterfinals Wednesday night (ET). Off the ice they’ve been soaking up village life and revisiting a family memory that stretches back to 2006 in Torino.

From Torino kids to Olympic leaders

As 8- and 6-year-olds in 2006, Matthew and Brady wound up inside the Olympic village while their father, a longtime U. S. Olympian, was competing. They remember painted faces, homemade signs and a dizzying run through the corridors of elite sport. The brothers still have a photo with two young Russian stars that hangs in their family home — a souvenir from a day spent chasing athletes and collecting snapshots.

“Not sure how we got into the Olympic village, ” Brady says of that trip. Matthew recalls their father having a couple of passes and leading them on a tour. They pressed themselves on every athlete they could find, trying to meet figure skaters, speed skaters and fellow hockey players alike. What stands out most for both is the picture with the two young Russian stars — a concrete reminder that childhood wonder can echo into an adult career.

They also admit they don’t remember much about the games themselves, more the experience of being there: the energy, the flags, the American hockey house they’d visit after events. That sense of belonging, they say, is back in Milan-Cortina, though now the stakes are higher and their roles are central to the team’s success.

Present-day momentum and Olympic atmosphere

On the ice, the Tkachuk brothers have been influential. Their combined production has played a major role in the team’s positive start and the push toward the knockout rounds. The U. S. will face the winner of Tuesday’s Sweden-Latvia game in a quarterfinal matchup Wednesday night (ET), with the roster and coaching staff leaning on the brothers’ energy and chemistry.

Off the ice they’ve embraced the communal spirit of the village. Rooming together in what they’ve dubbed “Club Tkachuk, ” they describe the environment as a cross between a college dorm and a professional athletes’ hangout: the men’s and women’s teams in the same building, shared lounges, and a steady flow of meet-and-greets with teammates from other sports. The brothers have made a point of introducing themselves to as many American athletes as possible, treating the Games as both competition and cultural exchange.

The men’s team has also been drawing inspiration from the women’s national side, which is moving toward a medal-round matchup Thursday night (ET). The Tkachuks say the camaraderie between the squads is genuine; they spend time getting to know the women’s players and trade encouragement as both teams chase podium goals.

Big-picture stakes and the return of NHL talent

These Games also mark the first time in more than a decade that active league players have returned to Olympic competition, a reality that raises the level of both expectation and intensity. For the Tkachuks, that means balancing hometown memories with the pressure of representing their country on the biggest international stage. They’re not just revisiting a family snapshot; they’re writing a new chapter.

Whether it’s the nostalgia of a long-ago village tour or the present-day grind of preparing for a quarterfinal, the brothers are clear-eyed about their mission: help their team win. The familiarity of traveling and living together seems to sharpen more than comfort — it fuels leadership and focus at a moment when every game matters.

As the tournament moves into elimination rounds, the combination of family history and present performance gives them a unique perspective: kids who once wandered the village are now central figures in the fight for Olympic hockey glory.