As group play wrapped up in Milan on Sunday, several Carolina Hurricanes players continued to make their mark on the Olympic stage - some chasing milestones, others doing the quiet, gritty work that doesn’t always show up on the scoresheet but matters just as much. With Sebastian Aho and Finland already locked into a strong position for a quarterfinal bye, the focus shifted to Seth Jarvis, Nikolaj Ehlers, Frederik Andersen, and Jaccob Slavin - each playing a role as their national teams fought for position and momentum heading into the knockout rounds.
Jarvis Gets More Run as Canada Locks Up Top Spot
Seth Jarvis is still carving out his role on a stacked Team Canada roster, but on Sunday, he got a little more rope from head coach Jon Cooper - and made the most of it. Skating on the fourth line, Jarvis logged 10:35 of ice time, a bump from his previous outing, and registered one shot on goal. His best moment came in the third period, when he drove hard to the net, trying to shift the puck to his backhand before the French goalie managed to poke it away.
It wasn’t a flashy night, but it was the kind of game that shows why Jarvis is sticking in the lineup. He’s playing with pace, showing a willingness to get to the tough areas, and doing the little things that coaches value - especially in a tournament like this, where roles are clearly defined and every shift matters.
Late in the game, Jarvis took a high hit that briefly drew the attention of Canada’s medical staff. The broadcast cut to commercial just as the replay aired, so the full extent of the contact wasn’t clear.
What we do know: it didn’t keep him off the ice. Jarvis returned to finish the game and even got some time on the penalty kill, another sign that Cooper trusts him in key situations.
With a dominant 10-2 win, Canada clinched the top seed in their group and a bye into the quarterfinals. Cooper has already said Brad Marchand will slot back into the lineup for the next game - the question is whether that comes at Jarvis’s expense. If nothing else, Jarvis has made a strong case to stay in the mix.
Ehlers Breaks Through, Andersen Delivers a Statement
For Denmark, Sunday was all about making a statement - and they did it early. Just 23 seconds into their matchup with Latvia, the Danes were on the board.
Less than five minutes in, they had another. That early cushion proved invaluable, especially with Frederik Andersen back between the pipes after getting a rest against the United States.
Andersen was sharp from the start, and he needed to be. After Denmark jumped out to a 3-0 lead - thanks in part to a slick finish from Nikolaj Ehlers - Latvia pushed back hard.
Ehlers’ goal, his first of the tournament, came off a heads-up play from Oliver Bjorkstrand, who lost his stick but managed to kick the puck over to Ehlers. The Hurricanes winger collected it and slid it around the Latvian goalie’s pads to give Denmark a three-goal edge.
That goal would stand as the game-winner.
From there, it was all about Andersen. Latvia controlled much of the second and third periods, cutting the deficit to one and putting 33 shots on net.
But Andersen stood tall, turning away everything else and anchoring Denmark to their first win of the tournament. It also marked Andersen’s first Olympic victory - a well-earned milestone for a veteran goalie who’s been rock-solid throughout his career.
Slavin Does the Dirty Work as U.S. Tops Group C
Denmark’s win earlier in the day simplified the equation for Team USA: get at least one point against Germany, and the top spot in Group C - and the quarterfinal bye that comes with it - would be theirs. The Americans didn’t leave anything to chance, handling Germany 5-1 in a performance that checked all the boxes.
For Jaccob Slavin, it was another night of doing what he does best: defending quietly, efficiently, and effectively. Slavin logged 15:29 of ice time - his highest total of the tournament so far - and was a key piece of a U.S. penalty kill that’s been the best in the tournament through group play. He didn’t register any points, but that’s never been the measure of his impact.
Slavin’s usage has been telling. While other American defensemen are getting more offensive zone starts or power-play time, Slavin is being deployed in the trenches - starting shifts in the defensive zone, killing penalties, and matching up against top lines.
And when he’s on the ice, the puck tends to stay out of the net. That’s the kind of contribution that doesn’t always make headlines but wins games in tournaments like this.
With group play now in the rearview mirror, the focus shifts to the knockout stage. Canada, Finland, and the United States have all earned byes, while Denmark will look to build on its momentum in the elimination rounds. For the Hurricanes players scattered across these rosters, the stakes are rising - and so is the spotlight.