Eichel has goal, assist, United States survives scare from Denmark

MILAN -- Sparked by Jack Eichel, Team USA rallied to defeat Team Denmark, 6-3, in Group C play of the men's hockey tournament at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 at Santagiulia Arena on Saturday.

The Vegas Golden Knights center had a goal and an assist as the United States scored twice in a 57-second span midway through the second period that changed the tenor of the game and allowed Team USA to maintain control of the group.

Matt Boldy, Brady Tkachuk, Noah Hanifin, Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes also scored for Team USA. Jeremy Swayman had 18 saves.

Nick Olesen, Nicholas Jensen and Phillip Bruggisser scored for Denmark and Mads Sogaard made 32 saves before being injured at 11:07 of the third period. Frederik Dichow made nine saves in relief.

GAMECENTER SUMMARY: USA-Denmark

The Americans (2-0-0-0) have six points and can clinch the group and a bye to the quarterfinals with anything other than a regulation loss to Germany (1-0-1-0) on Sunday (3:10 p.m. ET; Peacock, USA, ICI Télé, CBC Gem, TSN, CBC).

Eichel’s face-off prowess got the Americans going in the second.

With Denmark leading 2-1, Eichel won a face-off directly to Brady Tkachuk, who snapped it short side past Sogaard from the edge of the left circle to tie the game 2-2 at 9:26.

Eichel then gave Team USA its first lead just 57 seconds later, when he won a draw to Matthew Tkachuk, who chipped it back to Eichel for a quick-release shot to make it 3-2 at 10:23.

Hanifin made it 4-2 at 17:23, his shot squeezing through the goalie’s leg pads and just past the goal line.

With three seconds remaining in the period, Bruggisser smashed a rising shot from the point that found its way inside the far post to make it 4-3. It was the fourth shot of the period for Denmark (0-0-2-0), as Team USA racked up a 47-21 shot advantage for the game.

Guentzel restored the two-goal lead when he scored on a one-timer at 7:24 of the third.

Hughes made it a three-goal game at 14:27, skating below the goal line and then scoring off Dichow’s left skate.

WATCH: Men's Hockey Highlights from the Olympic Winter Games

The first period was ominous for the Americans when Denmark scored on two of its first four shots against Swayman, making his first start of the tournament. Connor Hellebuyck played in the 5-1 victory against Team Latvia on Thursday.

Olesen got things off to a shocking start when he converted a pass from Oscar Fisker Molgaard and his shot dribbled in at 1:40 for a 1-0 lead.

Boldy tied it 1-1 at 3:35, stuffing the puck home on a wrap-around of his own rebound.

At 11:16, Jensen wristed a shot from a few feet inside the center red line, and the puck handcuffed Swayman to give Denmark a 2-1 lead.