Sports
The U.S. stopped Latvia’s surge in its tracks, taking a 5-1 win.
Team USA’s Brock Nelson (left) slips the puck past Latvia netminder Elvis Merzlikins, one of two goals by the Avalanche center in Thursday’s 5-1 victory in Milan, Italy. David W Cerny
February 13, 2026 | 9:18 AM
4 minutes to read
MILAN — It looked like a bit of a nervy start for the United States. Latvia won two video review challenges to erase a pair of goals, the US hit two posts, and the game was tied after 20 minutes.
And when the youngest player in the tournament, 18-year-old defenseman Alberts Smits, bowled over Auston Matthews midway through the second period, it was clear Latvia was here to play.
Charlie McAvoy said no one on the bench was concerned.
“This is the Olympics,” he said after the US stopped Latvia’s surge in its tracks, taking a 5-1 win. “This is tight. Italy and Sweden were tied for 40 minutes yesterday. So we know better than to underestimate our opponents.”
The Tkachuk brothers, Jack Eichel (two assists), the Hughes brothers (two assists each) and Brock Nelson (two goals) made the biggest impacts for the Americans, who allowed nine shots over the final two periods.
“They were great. The energy on the bench is terrific,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “‘We’re going to be fine.’ And, of course, we were.”
Team USA’s Brady Tkachuk (second from right) is joined by teammates (from left) Jack Eichel, Norwood’s Noah Hanafin, and Zach Werenski (8) after the opening US goal in the win over Latvia Thursday in Milan. – Gregory Shamus
Latvia’s video coach, Peteris Groms, was its MVP. After Brady Tkachuk buried a feed from Matthew (two assists) five minutes in, Quinn Hughes looked like he doubled the lead. After a successful offside challenge, Latvia tied it when Renars Krastenbergs deposited a loose puck in the slot.
When Nelson tipped home a point shot, Latvia won a tight one, officials ruling that Miller was guilty of goalie interference. It was a reminder that the IIHF standard for that is zero-tolerance.
But Nelson deked past netminder Elvis Merzlikins and pointed to the goal — that one counted — and the Americans took over.
“I mean just an unbelievable experience. I try to soak it all in,” said Nelson, the Avalanche center who became the fifth member of his extended family to don the USA sweater. That lineage includes his grandfather, 1960 gold medalist Bill Christian, and uncle Dave Christian, the former Bruin who played on the Miracle on Ice team.
Tage Thompson, left off the 4 Nations roster, doubled the lead again. Then, four Americans one-touched the puck when Nelson scored his second.
“I don’t think there’s much to do,” said Merzlikins, who was lifted after two periods. “If that guy wouldn’t score, probably the other guy would score because I felt completely two open guys and it’s hard to save something like that.”
Merzlikins stopped 28 of 32 shots before ceding to Arturs Silovs. The latter allowed a Matthews power-play goal that made it 5-1.
The US faces Denmark on Saturday and Germany on Sunday. No word if Jeremy Swayman, who dressed as Connor Hellebuyck’s backup over Jake Oettinger, will take one of those starts.
Sullivan said Swayman got the call because he has had a “really strong start to the season … not that Jake hasn’t.”
Canada’s Macklin Celebrini celebrates after scoring the first goal in the dying seconds of the first period of the favorite’s 5-0 win over Czechia Thursday in Milan. – Petr David Josek
Celebrini celebrates fabulous debut for Canada
The Czech fans showed up in force. They were bouncing in place before puck drop and chanting Český! during play.
They hung their country’s flag all over Santagiulia Arena, with names of cities, towns and villages written in the white field of their national banner: Krnov, Osík, Horka nad Moravou, and so on.
Someone from Havířov, that coal-mining northeastern city near the Polish border, was wearing a hat that said “Boston” in script.
She was Marcela Ziembová, David Pastrnak’s mom. Wearing nails painted with the Czech and Olympic colors, she was there to watch her son, and his gold-palmed gloves, make his debut at the Games.
Canada muted the bright colors of Pastrnak’s game, closing on him quickly in a 5-0 win over the Czechs. Their superstar was buzzing early, landing a couple of hits and making a few dangerous passes, but was held scoreless and was on the ice for two goals against.
He skated 18:05, the second-highest total among Czech forwards, 90 seconds of that on Czechia’s only power play. He did not stop to talk to reporters afterward.
The Czechs were game (outshot, 36-26), but things were firmly in Canada’s control shortly after Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon each landed big hits on their opening shifts. A deflection goal from ex-Boston University star Macklin Celebrini — at 19 the youngest player selected by Canada since NHLers arrived at the Games in 1998 — got the scoring started.
Brad Marchand played less than 10 minutes but recorded a primary assist in his Olympic debut, feeding a streaking Bo Horvat in the second period.
The ice quality must have been OK, considering the saucer passes from McDavid and Mitch Marner that landed flat on teammates’ sticks for Canadian goals. MacKinnon tapped in a power-play goal for a 4-0 lead, assisted by McDavid and Sidney Crosby.
“Yeah, it’s fun,” MacKinnon said. “Two of the best players ever to play passing it to me is cool, you know?”
Timo Meier powers Swiss over French
Devils forward Timo Meier scored twice in the third period, 39-year-old national team goaltender Leonardo Genoni stopped all 27 shots he faced, and Switzerland shut out France, 4-0.
Damien Riat scored 55 seconds in, J.J. Moser of the Lightning made it a two-goal lead three minutes in, and there wasn’t much for the Swiss to worry about the rest of the way, outshooting the French, 43-27.
“It helps you a lot if you score two in the first, whatever it was, five minutes,” Moser said. “It just gives you a little bit more comfort, more confidence also for the rest of the game.”
In the day’s final game, Philipp Grubauer stopped 37 of the 38 shots he faced and Senators star forward Tim Stützle scored two goals as Germany beat Denmark, 3-1.
Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl scored just 23 seconds into his Olympic debut for the victors.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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