Nelson scores twice, United States pulls away from Latvia in Olympic opener

MILAN -- Team USA knows it will take everyone to contribute if it is to get where it wants to go at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Its championship formula was on full display in a 5-1 win against Latvia in the preliminary round opener for each team in Group C at Santagiulia Arena on Thursday.

Brock Nelson scored twice and was one of four goal-scorers for the U.S. (1-0-0-0), which had 10 players get on the score sheet.

Jack Hughes assisted on each of Nelson’s goals, and Quinn Hughes, Matthew Tkachuk and Jack Eichel also each had two assists for the Americans. Brady Tkachuk, Tage Thompson and Auston Matthews also scored.

GAMECENTER SUMMARY: Latvia-USA

Nelson, who plays for the Colorado Avalanche, has 29 NHL goals this season, the third-most among players on the U.S. roster. Jack Hughes was the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft by the New Jersey Devils. Yet each was playing on the fourth line.

“All in all, everyone was super important for us today,” Matthew Tkachuk said.

The forward said Nelson is a perfect example of what is needed.

“He was awesome,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “Their line was great. [Nelson] is having a great year back in the U.S. for Colorado and he brought it here. Talking about him, that is one of the biggest things about our team that makes it successful, the sacrifice.

“Goes from being a prolific goal-scorer -- obviously he pitched in with a few today -- but isn’t playing power play, is playing [penalty kill], out there for some important draws, some matchup stuff and it’s just sacrifice, the commitment, the brotherhood that is going to make our team successful.”

It was too much for the Latvians on this night, even after they escaped the first period tied 1-1, in part because of two disallowed goals for the Americans, each of which involved Nelson.

“They took complete control over us at the end of the second,” Latvia goalie Elvis Merzlikins said. “That’s us. We are a small, tiny country. Those are big hockey players there. We all saw the tic-tac-toes and everything else.”

Renars Krastenbergs scored for Latvia (0-0-1-0). Merzlikins allowed four goals on 32 shots through two periods before being replaced by Arturs Silovs, who made five saves.

The Americans outscored the Latvians 3-0 in the second, outshooting them 17-2.

“They start cycling you and wearing you down, but our goalie played well and gave us a chance,” Latvia captain Kaspars Daugavins said.

The ability to put the frustration of the first period in the rearview mirror shows growth in the American game, the U.S. players said.

“Just keep going,” defenseman Zach Werenski said. “I love how ‘Nelly’ responded to those challenges. One he was a little [offside] and the other one it’s his goal that got called back (for goaltender interference). He just stuck with it, scores a few big goals for us. We created enough offense that we knew at some point that they were going to count, so just keep playing our game.”

Nelson scored the game-winning goal at 10:38 of the second period when he put the U.S. ahead 2-1. Jack Hughes found him at the right hash marks with a pass on the cycle, and Nelson went forehand-to-backhand to draw Merzlikins out of position before tucking the puck in at the right post.

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

Thompson made it 3-1 with a backhand under the bar for a power-play goal at 17:35, Nelson extended the lead to 4-1 with 12 seconds left in the period. He knocked in a cross-slot feed from Jack Hughes to cap a pretty passing sequence inside the Latvia zone.

“He’s just such a good hockey player,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “I just think he’s got a mature game. He plays on both sides of the puck. He can score goals. He’s having a great year for Colorado. He’s a cerebral player. He’s conscientious defensively.”

Matthews scored a power-play goal 2:35 into the third period on the first shot faced by Silovs to push it to 5-1.

Brady Tkachuk gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead at 5:29 of the first, scoring from the top of the right face-off circle after brother Matthew Tkachuk chipped a pass ahead to him, before Krastenbergs tied it 1-1 on a rebound though Connor Hellebuyck's pads at 7:25.

Matthew said his thought when Brady scored was, “‘Are you really going to celebrate away from me right now?’ But then I grabbed him. To assist on your brother’s goal, for it to be his first goal in the Olympics, to be the first goal for our team, it’s going to be a memory for a lifetime, that is for sure.”

The game will be a fond memory, but it is just the beginning for the Americans, who are looking to win Olympic gold for the first time since 1980. They finished fourth in 2014, the last time NHL players were in the Olympics.

“We knew they were going to play hard,” Jack Hughes said. “We want to just keep growing our game. Every game we want to keep building and finding our game. It is a good start with the win, but we want to keep getting better each day and work at our game.”

Team USA plays Team Denmark at Santagiulia Arena on Saturday (3:10 p.m. ET; Peacock, USA, ICI Télé, CBC Gem, TSN). Team Latvia faces Team Germany at Rho Arena on Saturday (6:10 a.m. ET; Peacock, CNBC, ICI Télé, CBC Gem, TSN).