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Team USA did what it was expected to do in the group stage of men’s ice hockey, defeating Germany, 5-1, to go undefeated in the preliminary rounds of the 2026 Milan Cortina Games on Sunday.
Auston Matthews scored twice for the Stars and Stripes, while Tage Thompson, Zach Werenski and Brock Faber each found the back of the net in Team USA’s third win in Milan.
After wins in their first two games — a 5-1 win over Latvia, followed by a 6-3 shutout against Denmark on Saturday — Team USA has a bye heading into the quarterfinals, which begin Wednesday.
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USA’s Tage Thompson, second right, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his team’s fourth goal during a preliminary round men’s ice hockey match between the United States and Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Canada and Slovakia have also earned byes after winning Group A and B respectively.
While Team USA was expected to handle the three underdogs in their group in Milan, it wasn’t easy throughout the 60 minutes, including against Germany on Sunday.
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Despite Team USA shooting Maximilian Franzreb early in this contest, Germany played very physical and had Grade-A chances on the other side of the ice against American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
But it was Werenski who found the back of the net first in this game with just nine seconds left. He took a pass from Matthews, and used the German screen in front of Franzreb to get the puck over the red line for the lead heading into the locker room.
Throughout the tournament so far, the first period hasn’t been the most fluid for Team USA, but they ultimately made up for it in the following two periods in all three games.
USA’s Auston Matthews, left, scores his team’s fifth goal during a preliminary round men’s ice hockey match between the United States and Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
In this one, Matthews made the most of a power play opportunity, seeing a shot from Quinn Hughes deflect off his stick and go through Franzreb’s leg for the game’s second goal.
Towards the end of the period, Faber added his first goal of the tournament, while Matthew Tkachuk got his fifth assist, just as brother Brady Tkachuk got his first on the goal.
With a commanding 3-0 lead entering the third period, Thompson scored less than two minutes into the period. Matthews would later score his third goal of the tournament to make it 5-0 and all but close out the game for Team USA.
Germany’s Tim Stutzle, who has had a good tournament, scored his fourth goal, but it was obviously not enough to make a comeback in the end.
USA’s Auston Matthews, right, celebrates after scoring his team’s fifth goal during a preliminary round men’s ice hockey match between the United States and Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Now Team USA will wait to see who they face in the quarterfinals. The tournament also goes to single elimination now, requiring the U.S. to win three more games to reach the gold medal game, which is set for Feb. 22.
