The U.S. purpose track — “Free Chook” by Lynyrd Skynyrd — blared seven instances over area audio system on Thursday evening. Twice, the celebration was solely short-lived.
Bouncing again from having a pair of targets worn out by coach’s challenges, the U.S. opened the Olympics by rolling previous Latvia 5-1 in a dominant showcase of among the nation’s greatest NHL gamers. Brock Nelson scored twice, 4 gamers had two assists apiece, and there was manufacturing up and down the lineup.
“We consider within the depth we’ve got,” winger Jake Guentzel mentioned. “There’s good gamers on each line. That is simply the place American hockey is correct now.”
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After a bizarre first interval with a few video critiques and a tying purpose by Latvia, the Individuals discovered their groove and for lengthy stretches barely let their opponents have the puck. The U.S. outshot Latvia 38-18 and wanted starter Connor Hellebuyck to make solely 17 saves.
“I felt like we managed the play,” middle Jack Eichel mentioned. “We will proceed to get higher each sport on this event, each interval on this event. That is our purpose, and it is a good begin for us.”
Elvis Merzlikins was below siege on the different finish, and after Nelson’s second purpose he sat within the crease together with his head bowed in his lap. An odd-man rush turned a model of the Harlem Globetrotters on ice with move after move: Jack Hughes to brother Quinn to Matthew Tkachuk, again to Jack after which to Nelson to faucet right into a half-open internet with 11.1 seconds left within the second interval.
“I do not suppose there’s a lot to do,” Merzlikins mentioned. “If that man would not rating, most likely the opposite man would rating as a result of I felt fully two open guys, and it is laborious to save lots of one thing like that.”
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Brady Tkachuk scored the primary U.S. purpose of the event lower than six minutes in, and Tage Thompson roofed a nifty backhander on the ability play, making coach Mike Sullivan look good for placing the 6-foot-6 winger on the loaded high unit. 4 targets on 32 pictures was sufficient to chase Merzlikins, who was pulled to start out the third for Arturs Silovs.
Captain Auston Matthews welcomed Silovs to the Olympics with a power-play purpose, assisted on by Eichel and Quinn Hughes. Every of them had two assists, together with Matthew Tkachuk and Jack Hughes.
“I simply suppose the depth that we’ve got, it confirmed,” Brady Tkachuk mentioned. “I believed everyone performed an important sport tonight. You simply see the buy-in. You see the buy-in of each line taking part in the suitable means.”
Talking to CBS Information after the sport, Jack Hughes famous that the smaller ice rink used within the Winter Olympics has not been a significant concern.
“Speaking about it beforehand, you suppose it could be a a lot greater deal,” Jack Hughes mentioned. “You realize, so, the rink’s fairly good. I am positive because the event will get alongside, the ice will get higher. Whenever you’re on the market, the scale is not too huge of a distinction.”
And requested by CBS Information in regards to the NHL’s in-season pause in the course of the Olympics, and whether or not he believes Olympic hockey is healthier, Thompson responded: “I simply suppose it is best on greatest, you realize, I believe any time you are taking all the very best hockey gamers and having them characterize their nation, there comes one other degree of pleasure if you put on your colours. And clearly, the depth will get heightened.”
The U.S. performs Denmark on Saturday evening earlier than wrapping up the preliminary spherical 24 hours later in opposition to Germany.
