Team USA Names Hellebuyck As Starting Goalie And Dominates In Olympic Opener
Written By Gina Anton
MILAN— In their first game of the 2026 Winter Olympics, the United States men’s hockey team made a statement. Head coach Mike Sullivan entrusted the crease to veteran goaltender Connor Hellebuyck for the Olympic opener against Latvia. A decision that paid off in a confident performance as Team USA claimed a 5-1 victory to kick off their chase for gold.
Before puck drop at the Santagiulia Arena, Sullivan made the bold strategic call to start 32-year-old Hellebuyck in goal, ahead of fellow U.S. netminders Jeremy Swayman and Jake Oettinger. While his NHL season saw ups and downs, his track record, which includes multiple elite seasons and top goalie honors, gave the coaching staff confidence that he could anchor the team.
“He’s obviously an elite goalie,” Sullivan said. “We think we have three elite goalies… these decisions aren’t easy, but we made a decision to start with Connor, and we’ll go from there.”
Right from the opening minutes, the U.S. came out assertively. The scoring began in the first period when Brady Tkachuk received a crisp pass from his brother Matthew and fired home the opening goal to give the U.S. a 1–0 advantage.
Latvia didn’t back down, however. They quickly responded when Renars Krastenbergs capitalized on a scramble in front to tie the game, tying up the score 1–1 after 20 minutes.
The second period was where Team USA truly flipped the script and seized control.
Brock Nelson redirected a perfect pass from Quinn Hughes to push the U.S. ahead 2–1 with a backhanded shot and inject some momentum in the team. Later in the period, Tage Thompson converted on the power play with fine precision, giving the Americans a two-goal cushion. Nelson struck again just before the horn, extending the lead to 4–1.
This offensive outburst showed the depth of the U.S. lineup, from scoring stars to timely contributions across all lines. With the game increasingly in hand, Team USA didn’t let up. In the third period, Auston Matthews added another tally, helping seal a convincing 5–1 victory.
Hellebuyck’s Game
While the offense carried much of the spotlight, Hellebuyck’s performance between the pipes was reliable and composed. He managed the pace of play well, kept rebounds under control, and gave his team the confidence to attack without worrying about defensive lapses, which was a key factor in the U.S. pulling away after a tied opening period.
Team USA’s opening 5–1 victory over Latvia was impressive not just for the scoreline but for the way it unfolded. The Americans weathered an early test and then dominated with balanced scoring, disciplined defense, and veteran poise in net. With Hellebuyck turning in a strong start and contributions up and down the lineup, the U.S. heads into their next Group C matchups with momentum and confidence as serious medal contenders.
