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Team USA is off to a strong start in men’s ice hockey at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, as it defeated Latvia, 5-1, to open its play on Thursday night.
While the team is loaded with young talent, it was the team’s oldest player, 34-year-old Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche, who scored twice for the United States in the second period and led the team in scoring.
Nelson was patient with his first goal, breaking a 1-1 tie in the second period when New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes found him in front of the net, and Nelson worked his way around Latvia’s Elvis Merzlikins at the net for a 2-1 lead.
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Brock Nelson of the United States celebrates his goal with his teammates during the Men’s Preliminary Group A match between Latvia and the United States on day six of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Stadium on February 12, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (RvS.Media/Robert Hradil)
Then, with less than a minute left in the second, the United States found itself in prime position to open the floodgates when Hughes again received the puck from Matthew Tkachuk.
As Hughes scanned the ice, Nelson wasted no time with a one-timer off a nifty pass that found the back of the net for his second goal of the period.
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Early in the game, Nelson scored with a beautiful tip on a shot to Team USA’s blue line. But Latvia won its second challenge of the first period on goals, as the referees ruled that goalie interference affected the outcome.
Prior to Nelson’s disallowed goal, Quinn Hughes was also denied a goal after the Latvian bench contested an offside prior to the play. They got it right and the score was 1-1.
Brady Tkachuk of the United States celebrates his goal on day six of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Stadium on February 12, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Andrea Branca/Eurasia Sport Images)
However, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew’s brother, got things going early in the game, when he hit a deft shot over Merzlikins’ glove 5:29 into the game.
Things got interesting, however, when Renars Krastenbergs won the puck fight in front of Team USA’s net just over a minute after Quinn Hughes’ goal was called back, with a backhander past Connor Hellebuyck to score.
However, that was the only infraction Latvia would commit, as Hellebuyck faced only 18 shots to Team USA’s 38.
Tage Thompson and Auston Matthews were powerful scorers for Team USA, the former coming in the second period to make the game 3-1, while the latter scored a point-blank shot in the third to seal the victory.
Brock Nelson celebrates scoring with Matthew Tkachuk and Jack Hughes by his side in a 5-1 win over Latvia on February 12, 2026 at the Milan 2026 Cortina Games. (RvS.Media/Robert Hradil)
Team USA did what they were supposed to do against Latvia, and should be a heavy favorite against the host Italian team on Saturday.
