Team USA cruised to a relatively easy 5-1 win over Latvia in their opening game of Olympic pool play. Tied at one after the first period due to a pair of overturned goals, a post and a crossbar, the US tallied three times in the second period to take a commanding 4-1 lead. Team USA added their second power play goal in the third period to complete the scoring.
Team USA lines:
Tkachuk-Eichel-Tkachuk
Guentzel-Matthews-Boldy
Connor-Larkin-Thompson
Miller-Nelson-Hughes
Trocheck
Keller as healthy scratch
Hughes-McAvoy
Slavin-Faber
Werenski-Sanderson
Hanifin
LaCombe as the healthy scratch
Hellebuyck
Top power play: Quinn Hughes, Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Tage Thompson & Matthew Tkachuk. This unit proved to be key in the win.
Latvia’s lines:
Vilmanis-Girgensons-Tralmaks
RiBukarts-Bļugers-Balcers
Krastenbergs-Ločmelis-Daugaviņš
Ravinskis-Batņa-Dzierkals
Egle
Rubīns-Balinskis
Zīle-Jaks
Mamčics-Šmits
Freibergs
Merzļikins
Šilovs
Power Play:
Girgensons
Balcers–Ločmelis–Krastenbergs
Balinskis
Batņa
Jaks–Bļugers–Tralmaks
Šmits
While many of the names above are unknown, Latvia has six NHL players on their roster: forwards Zemgus Girgensons, Teddy Blueger and Sandis Vilmanis, defenseman Uvis Balinskis, and goalies Elvis Merzlikins and Arturs Silovs.
A few thoughts:
Continuity
One key factor in the lineup is continuity. U.S. general manager Bill Guerin and his staff return 21 of 25 players who played in the 4 Nations. This was one of the reasons why players like Cole Caufield and Jason Robertson weren’t selected, as that continuity was a major component of the roster. That number doesn’t include Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes, who missed 4 Nations because of injury. The only true “newbies” are Thompson, Keller, and LaCombe.
Offense
At least for one game, scoring was not a problem. Brady Tkachuk got the US started 5:29 into the game. The squad took a 2-0 lead on a marker by Brock Nelson but that goal was overturned on a challenge for offside. Latvia notched the equalizer shortly thereafter, drawing the ire of the US fanbase due to an elbow to Auston Matthews’ head that was ignored.
The US got right back on its horse, scoring again. But.,,, this tally by Brock Faber was overturned due to goaltender’s interference. By the strict letter of the IIHF rules, JT Miller was in the crease and did make some contact with Merzlikins – as seen in the still shots below – making this the right call. Goaltender’s interference is called much stricter in International rules, which will need to be a point of focus moving forward.
Nelson, who had a brilliant game and Olympics family pedigree from 1960 and 1980, lit the lamp again at 10:38 of the second stanza. This one counted, giving the US a lead they never relinquished. Thompson upped the score to 3-1 with a brilliant power play goal. Latvia gave the US a ton of room on the man-advantage. Thompson took a pass from Jack Eichel at the side of the net. He slid into a strong shooting area, roofing the puck backhanded short-side over Merzlikins for a 3-1 lead.
The goal of the game came next. A beautiful display of passing and patience was ultimately capped by Nelson for his second of the game. Jack Hughes to Matthew Tkachuk back to Hughes and Nelson found open space, deflecting the pass from Hughes with 12 seconds left on the period. The rout was on with the score 4-1 after two periods.
Auston Matthews capped the scoring on the man-advantage 2:35 into the third frame against Arturs Silovs, who replaced Merzlikins to start the period. Shots ended up 38-18 for the US, who overcame a mildly slow start to find their footing. The US will be in action Saturday against Denmark and Sunday versus Germany.
3) Coach Mike Sullivan and his staff were able to divvy up the ice time relatively evenly. Jack Eichel at 18:13 saw the most playing time of the forwards with Vincent Trocheck, the 13th forward, seeing 9:11 on the ice. Most of the players on lines two through four were in a similar range. Jack Hughes, Eichel and Matthew Tkachuk helped lead the way in forward scoring chances.
On the blue line, Quinn Hughes played 21:29 with Noah Hanifin, the seventh d-man, seeing 11:01 of ice time. But defensemen two through six were bunched up fairly closely. Connor Hellebuyck was mostly solid but relatively untested, though the goal allowed was mildly weak. It will be interesting to see if Helly or Jake Oettinger starts Saturday and if each one plays a game in the back to back.
