USA’s depth wins out in men’s hockey comeback against underdog Denmark

MILAN – The American men’s hockey team improved to 2-0 in group play with a victory against another underdog.

The U.S. men’s hockey team, loaded with 25 NHLers, won its second preliminary game of the 2026 Winter Olympics on Saturday, Feb. 14, defeating Group C cohort Denmark, 6-3, at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

The Danes scored first, led twice in the first period and made it a one-goal game with seconds to spare in the second period. The Americans, with Jeremy Swayman in goal, outshot the Danes 15-4 in the second period, again showing off their depth against an underdog team just like in the game against Latvia.

The U.S. finishes preliminary play Sunday against Germany. Canada already has claimed the top spot in Group A, and Slovakia advances to the quarterfinals, too, by winning Group B.

The Danes kept their game plan simple: Try to do their best to keep the puck out of their zone and if not, make sure Mads Sogaard saw the shots. The Danes opted to save their top netminder, Frederik Andersen, for their Sunday match against Latvia.

Huge underdogs as they were against the U.S, the Danes got a huge boost 1:40 into the game on a goal from Nick Olesen. Matt Boldy replied for the Americans two minutes later.

The shocker of the period was Denmark’s second goal, scored by Nicholas B. Jensen at 11:16 when he fired a shot while near his own bench that somehow slipped by Swayman.

Brady Tkachuk and Jack Eichel scored off draws midway through the second period to put the U.S. up by a goal. The U.S. moved ahead 4-2 with 2:37 to go when Noah Hanifin scored on a rebound, the puck clipping the post on its way into Denmark’s net. That was part of a 15-4 advantage in shots for the Americans just in the second period. But the Danes’ fourth one was a doozy: Swayman gave up a slap shot from the blue line with 2.6 seconds on the clock after Vincent Trocheck lost the draw.

Jake Guentzel scored at 7:24 of the third period. Sogaard exited the game with 8:53 to play in regulation after appearing to hurt his groin or hip while making a save, ceding Denmark’s net to Frederik Dichow. Jack Hughes scored with 5:33 to play, fending off Denmark’s Jesper Jensen Aabo to make further strengthen the U.S.’ goal differential in the standings.