Tkachuk Brothers Shine as Team USA Opens Olympic Play with Commanding Win Over Latvia
The United States men’s hockey team couldn’t have asked for a better start to their 2026 Winter Olympic campaign. Powered by a dynamic performance from Matthew Tkachuk and a strong supporting cast, Team USA rolled to a 5-1 win over Latvia on Thursday, setting the tone for what they hope is a deep run in Milan.
The Tkachuk brothers wasted no time making their presence felt. Just over five minutes into the opening period, Matthew set up younger brother Brady for the game’s first goal, giving the Americans an early jolt of energy. It was a fitting start for a team built around pace, skill, and physicality - all traits the Tkachuks bring in spades.
Matthew wasn’t done there. Late in the second period, with the U.S. firmly in control, he picked up his second assist of the night on Brock Nelson’s second goal. It was the kind of heads-up, unselfish play we’ve come to expect from Tkachuk, who continues to be a tone-setter on the international stage just as he is in Florida.
When the final horn sounded, Tkachuk had logged 17:55 of ice time, registered four shots on goal, and posted a plus-2 rating - a well-rounded stat line that speaks to his impact on both ends of the ice.
The win puts Team USA in a strong position heading into a weekend back-to-back against Denmark and Germany to close out the preliminary round. The stakes are clear: finish atop Group B, and the U.S. earns a direct ticket to the quarterfinals. The three group winners and the best second-place team will receive byes, while the remaining eight squads will battle it out in single-elimination games for the final spots.
On the other side of Thursday’s matchup, a pair of Florida Panthers saw significant action for Team Latvia. Defenseman Uvis Balinskis was leaned on heavily, leading all skaters with 24:13 of ice time - nearly three full minutes more than the next highest, U.S. blueliner Quinn Hughes.
Despite Latvia’s struggles, Balinskis held his own, finishing with a plus-1 rating and two shots on goal. That’s no small feat in a game where your team gives up five.
Forward Sandis Vilmanis also saw a solid workload, skating 20 shifts for a total of 15:40. He ended the game with one shot and a minus-1 rating, but like Balinskis, he showed flashes of the kind of play that could be pivotal for Latvia as the tournament progresses.
Latvia, like the U.S., now gears up for back-to-back games this weekend - Germany on Saturday, Denmark on Sunday - with a spot in the quarterfinals still within reach. For both teams, the path forward is clear, and the margin for error is shrinking.
As the Olympic tournament heats up, the early signs are promising for Team USA. With the Tkachuk brothers clicking, the offense humming, and the defense holding strong, the Americans are making a statement: they came to Milan with gold on their minds.