A three-goal second-period surge propelled the USA past Denmark, and the Americans pulled away for a 6-3 win.
Jack Eichel scored one and added an assist for Team USA. Noah Hanifin scored the game-winner in the second period. Mads Sogaard made 33 saves in Denmark’s goal.
"We got outshot and they probably dominated us a little. But we're the underdogs, and I think we battled hard and tried everything we had. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough," Denmark's Phillip Bruggisser said.
The Americans stumbled a little coming out of the gate. Zach Werenski tried to clear the puck out of the zone, but Oscar Moelgaard kept it by the boards close to the blueline and saw Nick Olesen all alone in front of the net. Olesen deflected it, and somehow the puck snuck into the American net to give Denmark the lead at 01:40.
Team USA hit back a minute and 55 seconds later. Matt Boldy came into the Danish zone with speed and fired a quick wrist shot from the left faceoff circle. Sogaard made the initial save but played the shot so aggressively that when Boldy grabbed the rebound and went for a wraparound, he was too far out of the crease to be able to stop the puck, and the game was tied.
"I think we came out strong, we had talked about working harder than them and I think we started well. The there were a few mistakes and we can't afford that against players like this," Olesen said.
For a while, it seemed like the Americans had recovered from the shock of being down a goal and that the Team USA machine would simply outmuscle Denmark, but the game took another turn at 11:16 when Nicholas B. Jensen’s shot from the red line caught Swayman by surprise on the blocker side, giving the Danes a lead that they could take to the intermission.
"There's a flash screen, and it was just the perfect height, right between the stands and board level. And I truly lost it. Definitely one I want back, but at the same time, at this level, you have to stay even-keel. It's one shot at a time, and no matter how they go in, you have to step up and stop the next one. So I'm just really proud of this group for supporting me and getting the job done tonight," Swayman said.
"He made some huge saves for us at key times of the game, so, you know, funky bounce and you just move on," Eichel said of the goal.
Team USA turned on their engines in the second period, which they won 3-1.
The Danes held onto their lead for nine minutes and 26 seconds into the second period when Brady Tkachuk’s snipe straight off an offensive zone faceoff beat Sogaard high on the blocker side and tied the game at two.
Team USA's 3-2 goal was almost a mirror image of their previous goal. The faceoff was now on the right side, and it was Eichel who fired the laser that beat Sogaard high on the glove side at 10:23.
With 2:30 remaining, Team USA’s Noah Hanifin doubled their lead when he zipped through the Danish defense, fired a shot, and then fired again when the rebound came right back. The puck went through Sogaard’s five-hole, hit the post, and danced on the goal line before crossing it.
But the Danes got an injection of hope late in the period when they pulled within one after an offensive zone faceoff just 6.7 seconds before the end of the period. Alexander True won the draw, Nik Ehlers snapped the puck to Phillip Bruggisser on the blueline, and his slap shot beat Swayman on the blocker side with 2.6 seconds on the clock.
In the third period, the Americans kept Denmark away from the best scoring areas, and at 7:24, Jake Guentzel one-timed Team USA’s fifth goal from the slot, off a great feed from Auston Matthews, to make it a two-goal game again.
Frederik Dichow came in in relief for Denmark with less than nine minutes remaining, and he found himself beaten by Jack Hughes four minutes later. Hughes was rounding the net but decided to slip the puck to the net. It hit Dichow’s skate and went in to seal the final score, 6-3.
"We're an unfinished product and, you know, we're going to continue to get better. It's all part of this," Eichel said.
The game in Milan was the first time Denmark and Team USA have played each other in the Olympics. In the IIHF World Championships, the Americans are riding a five-game winning streak, going back to 2015.
USA will take on Germany tomorrow; Denmark will play their final preliminary round game against Latvia.
"It's been a great experience but we haven't got the results we wanted and even expected. There will be a new chance tomorrow," Denmark's Olesen said.
"It's a quick turnaround for both of us. Out of the other teams in this group, they definitely have the most NHL stars on their team. There are guys you definitely got to look out: an NHL goalie, a number one defenceman and some really good forwards. So I'm sure they're going to give us a really good game as well," Team USA's Matthew Tkachuk said.
Jack Eichel scored one and added an assist for Team USA. Noah Hanifin scored the game-winner in the second period. Mads Sogaard made 33 saves in Denmark’s goal.
"We got outshot and they probably dominated us a little. But we're the underdogs, and I think we battled hard and tried everything we had. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough," Denmark's Phillip Bruggisser said.
The Americans stumbled a little coming out of the gate. Zach Werenski tried to clear the puck out of the zone, but Oscar Moelgaard kept it by the boards close to the blueline and saw Nick Olesen all alone in front of the net. Olesen deflected it, and somehow the puck snuck into the American net to give Denmark the lead at 01:40.
Team USA hit back a minute and 55 seconds later. Matt Boldy came into the Danish zone with speed and fired a quick wrist shot from the left faceoff circle. Sogaard made the initial save but played the shot so aggressively that when Boldy grabbed the rebound and went for a wraparound, he was too far out of the crease to be able to stop the puck, and the game was tied.
"I think we came out strong, we had talked about working harder than them and I think we started well. The there were a few mistakes and we can't afford that against players like this," Olesen said.
For a while, it seemed like the Americans had recovered from the shock of being down a goal and that the Team USA machine would simply outmuscle Denmark, but the game took another turn at 11:16 when Nicholas B. Jensen’s shot from the red line caught Swayman by surprise on the blocker side, giving the Danes a lead that they could take to the intermission.
"There's a flash screen, and it was just the perfect height, right between the stands and board level. And I truly lost it. Definitely one I want back, but at the same time, at this level, you have to stay even-keel. It's one shot at a time, and no matter how they go in, you have to step up and stop the next one. So I'm just really proud of this group for supporting me and getting the job done tonight," Swayman said.
"He made some huge saves for us at key times of the game, so, you know, funky bounce and you just move on," Eichel said of the goal.
Team USA turned on their engines in the second period, which they won 3-1.
The Danes held onto their lead for nine minutes and 26 seconds into the second period when Brady Tkachuk’s snipe straight off an offensive zone faceoff beat Sogaard high on the blocker side and tied the game at two.
Team USA's 3-2 goal was almost a mirror image of their previous goal. The faceoff was now on the right side, and it was Eichel who fired the laser that beat Sogaard high on the glove side at 10:23.
With 2:30 remaining, Team USA’s Noah Hanifin doubled their lead when he zipped through the Danish defense, fired a shot, and then fired again when the rebound came right back. The puck went through Sogaard’s five-hole, hit the post, and danced on the goal line before crossing it.
But the Danes got an injection of hope late in the period when they pulled within one after an offensive zone faceoff just 6.7 seconds before the end of the period. Alexander True won the draw, Nik Ehlers snapped the puck to Phillip Bruggisser on the blueline, and his slap shot beat Swayman on the blocker side with 2.6 seconds on the clock.
In the third period, the Americans kept Denmark away from the best scoring areas, and at 7:24, Jake Guentzel one-timed Team USA’s fifth goal from the slot, off a great feed from Auston Matthews, to make it a two-goal game again.
Frederik Dichow came in in relief for Denmark with less than nine minutes remaining, and he found himself beaten by Jack Hughes four minutes later. Hughes was rounding the net but decided to slip the puck to the net. It hit Dichow’s skate and went in to seal the final score, 6-3.
"We're an unfinished product and, you know, we're going to continue to get better. It's all part of this," Eichel said.
The game in Milan was the first time Denmark and Team USA have played each other in the Olympics. In the IIHF World Championships, the Americans are riding a five-game winning streak, going back to 2015.
USA will take on Germany tomorrow; Denmark will play their final preliminary round game against Latvia.
"It's been a great experience but we haven't got the results we wanted and even expected. There will be a new chance tomorrow," Denmark's Olesen said.
"It's a quick turnaround for both of us. Out of the other teams in this group, they definitely have the most NHL stars on their team. There are guys you definitely got to look out: an NHL goalie, a number one defenceman and some really good forwards. So I'm sure they're going to give us a really good game as well," Team USA's Matthew Tkachuk said.
USA vs Denmark
OF