The United States men’s hockey team erased a first-period deficit with a dominant second period Saturday, powered by two Vegas Golden Knights stars. Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin each scored in a three-goal frame to lift Team USA to a 6-3 victory over Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
Denmark led 2-1 after 20 minutes, capitalizing on a misplay by U.S. goaltender Jeremy Swayman. At 11:16, Denmark winger Nick Jensen’s shot from center ice beat Swayman to give the Danes the lead. But the Americans responded with a 15-4 shots advantage in the second period.
Eichel assisted on Brady Tkachuk’s game-tying goal at 9:26, then scored 57 seconds later to put the U.S. ahead. Hanifin added what proved to be the game-winner at 17:23, when his shot trickled past Denmark goaltender Mads Sogaard.
It was Eichel’s second multipoint game of the tournament; he had two power-play assists in a 5-1 win over Latvia on Thursday. “We’re an unfinished product and we’re going to continue to get better,” Eichel said. He led Team USA with seven of its 41 shots and posted a plus-2 rating in 16:59 of ice time. Hanifin had three shots in 9:57.
Team USA improved to 2-0 in group play and needs just one point against Germany on Sunday to clinch Group C and a first-round bye. The Americans also trail Canada in the race for the No. 1 tournament seed, with a plus-7 goal differential compared to Canada’s plus-9.
Defenseman Rasmus Andersson was a healthy scratch for Sweden in its 5-3 win over Slovakia, a result that allowed Slovakia to clinch Group B on goal differential.
