The men’s Olympic ice hockey tournament is well underway, and Team USA will play its second game on Saturday afternoon.
Team USA is in Group C alongside Germany, Denmark, and Latvia, and the USA already scored a lopsided win over Latvia. Now, Team USA is set to take on Denmark on Saturday at 3:10 p.m. ET.
Here is everything you need to know about the line combinations and starting goalies for both teams.
Team USA Line Combinations
The United States is coming off a lopsided win over Latvia, and head coach Mike Sullivan is keeping his group together.
Sullivan found some chemistry that worked, especially the fourth line that had four forwards rotating. Ahead of Team USA’s second game, Sullivan is expected to keep his unit exactly the same.
Team USA forward lines:
- B. Tkachuk – Eichel – M. Tkachuk
- Guentzel – Matthews – Boldy
- Connor -Larkin – Thompson
- J. Hughes – Nelson – Miller
- Trochek
Trochek was rotating in the fourth line, while he was a key penalty killer for Team USA in their first game of the Olympics. Clayton Keller will remain the scratch.
Team USA defense lines:
- Q. Hughes – McAvoy
- Slavin – Faber
- Sanderson – Werenski
- Hanifin
Hanifin remains the seventh defenseman, while Jackson LaCombe will continue to be scratched, but could very well make his Olympic debut on Sunday when Team USA plays a back-to-back.
The power play will remain the same for Team USA, which features Quinn Hughes, Eichel, Matthews, Thompson, and Matthew Tkachuk.
Team USA entered the tournament as one of the favorites to win gold, and the team has a gold-or-bust mentality.
“It is unique, for sure,” said Werenski. “But I think that’s a good thing. I think it just proves how far USA Hockey has come, and how we feel about it. Now it’s time to win. We have a lot of high-end NHL talent — superstars. But we haven’t won in a long time, so it’s time now for the U.S. to finally win a gold medal.”
Who is Team USA’s Starting Goalie?
Team USA made a somewhat surprising decision by scratching Jake Oettinger and having Jeremy Swayman as the backup goalie.
“That was another difficult decision,” Sullivan said about Swayman as the backup. “They’re all elite goaltenders. Sway has had a really good start to the season and that was the thing that weighed into the conversation. … Not that Jake hasn’t.”
Swayman will now start on Saturday against Denmark. Although Connor Hellebuyck is getting the day off, he will back up Swayman, meaning Oettinger will remain a scratch.
It’s a bit of a surprise to not see Oettinger at least dress, but Sullivan is sticking with his two goalies.
The Boston Bruins goalie is 22-12-3 with a 2.92 GAA and a .903 SV% this season.
Team Denmark Lines
Denmark is coming off a 3-1 loss to Germany in its tournament opener and now faces USA in a tough game.
Denmark is expected to utilize the same lineup as they did against Germany.
Forward lines:
- Bjorkstrand – True – Ehlers
- Blichfeld – Eller – Jensen
- Olesen – Molgaard – Aagaard
- Storm – Wejse – Russell
- Poulsen
Defense line:
- Jensen Aabo – M. Lauridsen
- Jensen – Setkov
- O. Lauridsen – Bruggisser
- Lassen
Goalie:
- Mads Sogaard
- Frederik Andersen
USA is a favored to win by 4.5 goals.
USA vs Denmark Line Combinations & Starting Goalies Revealed