Brock Nelson stars as US men's hockey team opens Winter Olympics with a crushing 5-1 win over Latvia

The US men’s hockey team started the Winter Olympics with a strong 5-1 win over Latvia on Thursday, showing off some of the best NHL talent in the country. Brock Nelson scored two goals, while four teammates - Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes, Matthew Tkachuk, and Jack Eichel - each had two assists. Brady Tkachuk gave the US a 1-0 lead at 5:29 of the first period, finishing a pass from Matthew from the top of the right circle. Latvia quickly answered when Renars Krastenbergs tied it 1-1 at 7:25, scoring on a rebound from Zemgus Girgensons and slipping the puck between Connor Hellebuyck’s pads.

The Americans bounced back after having two goals canceled by coach’s challenges and after Latvia tied the game at 1. Once they settled, the US controlled the game, keeping the puck away from Latvia for long stretches. The team outshot Latvia 38-18, and goalie Connor Hellebuyck only had to make 17 saves to secure the win.



Latvia’s goalie Elvis Merzlikins faced constant pressure. Nelson’s second goal came after a slick series of passes between Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes, Matthew Tkachuk, and Nelson, finishing in a half-open net with just 11 seconds left in the second period.

After Brady's opening goal within six minutes of the start, and Tage Thompson added a smart backhand goal on the power play. The US coach Mike Sullivan’s decision to put the 6-foot-6 Thompson on the top unit paid off.


Merzlikins was pulled after giving up four goals on 32 shots and replaced by Arturs Silovs. The US kept scoring, with captain Auston Matthews netting a power-play goal assisted by Jack Eichel and Quinn Hughes. This meant Matthews, Eichel, Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes, and Matthew Tkachuk all contributed two points in the game.

The team’s strong showing against Latvia sets a confident tone for the rest of the tournament, highlighting their depth, skill, and ability to dominate possession against tough competition. This 5-1 win was a statement performance, showing that the US is ready to compete at the highest level in these Winter Games.

The Americans will continue their Olympic campaign on Saturday against Denmark, and then finish the preliminary round against Germany the following day.