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It was not pretty in the early going, but the U.S. hockey team picked up the pace and showed why it is a favorite to play for a gold medal.
After trailing 2-1 through the first period, the Americans dominated on offense to take a 6-3 victory over Denmark Saturday in the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.
The Americans scored three unanswered goals to open the second period, with 4 Nations cult hero Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators), Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights) and Noah Hanifin (Vegas Golden Knights) finding the back of the net.
Denmark, though, was not going out without a fight, putting a third goal past Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins) before the horn sounded.
It was false hope for them, however, because Jake Guentzel (Tampa Bay Lighting) scored, and Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils) added another for good measure late in the third.
Both sets of brothers on the team — Brady and Matthew Tkachuk and Jack and Quinn Hughes — each had a point in the contest. Fourteen players had points for the Americans with a different goal scorer each time the lamp was lit.
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Swayman struggled early on, especially as Denmark’s second goal was scored from nearly center ice, but he found his footing in the final two periods. Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) got the start in the first game, and Jake Oettinger (Dallas Stars) will likely be in the crease in their next game.
The Americans had 47 shots on goal compared to Denmark’s 21.
The U.S. ends preliminary play Sunday with a game against Germany at 3:10 p.m. ET. The Americans will once again be heavy favorites, and a victory will put them into the knockout stage.
The Americans can also go right to the knockout stage with an overtime loss. With a regulation loss, their fate would be determined by Canada’s game against France and point differentials with Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.
But as a heavy favorite against a German team with just eight NHL players, the U.S. may not need to worry.
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