更新时间：2026年2月12日 / 美国东部时间晚上8:43 / 哥伦比亚广播公司/美联社
周四晚间，美国队的助威歌曲——林纳德·斯金纳德乐队的《Free Bird》——在体育馆扬声器中响起了七次。不过，其中两次庆祝很快就被打断。
在经历了两记进球因教练挑战被取消的挫折后，美国队以一场5-1的压倒性胜利开启了冬奥会征程，展现了该国部分最优秀NHL球员的实力。布罗克·纳尔逊梅开二度，四名球员各贡献两次助攻，全队上下均有得分入账。
“我们相信自己的阵容深度，”边锋杰克·冈茨尔表示，“每条线上都有优秀球员。这就是美国冰球现在的水平。”
首节比赛颇为奇特，出现了几次视频回放，拉脱维亚队还扳平了比分。随后美国队逐渐找到节奏，长时间控制球权，几乎不让对手碰球。美国队以38-18的射正次数领先，首发门将康纳·赫尔布约克仅需完成17次扑救。
“我感觉我们掌控了比赛节奏，”中锋杰克·艾歇尔说，“我们会在本次赛事的每一场比赛、每一节中不断进步。这是我们的目标，今天是个不错的开始。”
另一端的埃尔维斯·梅尔兹利金斯则陷入苦战。在纳尔逊打入第二球后，他瘫坐在球门前，双手抱头。一次多打少进攻中，美国队打出了类似哈林篮球队式的精彩配合：杰克·休斯传给弟弟奎因·休斯，再到马修·特卡丘克，回传给杰克·休斯，最终纳尔逊在第二节还剩11.1秒时推射空门得手。
“我觉得没什么办法，”梅尔兹利金斯表示，“如果不是他得分，也会是另一个人得分，因为我感觉场上有两个完全空着的球员，这样的球很难扑救。”
布雷迪·特卡丘克在比赛开始不到六分钟时打入美国队首球，塔吉·汤普森则在多打少局面中完成一记漂亮的反手射门，这让主教练迈克·沙利文将这位6英尺6英寸的边锋安排在顶级阵容中显得十分明智。32次射门打入4球足以迫使梅尔兹利金斯下场，第三局开始时由阿图尔斯·西洛夫斯替补登场。
队长奥斯汀·马修斯以多打少进球欢迎西洛夫斯亮相奥运赛场，助攻来自艾歇尔和奎因·休斯。四人各贡献两次助攻：艾歇尔、奎因·休斯、马修·特卡丘克和杰克·休斯。
“我认为我们的阵容深度展现得淋漓尽致，”布雷迪·特卡丘克说，“每个人今晚都打得很棒，你能看到大家的投入，每条线都在正确的战术体系下配合。”
赛后接受哥伦比亚广播公司新闻采访时，杰克·休斯表示冬奥会较小的冰场并没有带来太大影响。
“赛前我们以为这会是个大问题，”杰克·休斯说，“但冰场其实很不错，我相信随着赛事推进冰面会越来越好。在场上时，场地大小的差异并不明显。”
当被问及NHL赛季中期因奥运暂停是否影响了比赛，以及他是否认为奥运冰球水平更高时，汤普森回应道：“我认为这是‘最强对最强’的赛事。当所有最优秀的冰球运动员代表自己国家参赛时，那种自豪感会提升到另一个层次，比赛强度也会明显增加。”
美国队将于周六晚对阵丹麦队，24小时后迎战德国队完成小组赛阶段比赛。
U.S. men’s hockey team cruises to 5-1 win over Latvia in their first game of 2026 Winter Olympics
Updated on: February 12, 2026 / 8:43 PM EST / CBS/AP
The U.S. goal song — “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd — blared seven times over arena speakers on Thursday night. Twice, the celebration was only short-lived.
Bouncing back from having a pair of goals wiped out by coach’s challenges, the U.S. opened the Olympics by rolling past Latvia 5-1 in a dominant showcase of some of the country’s best NHL players. Brock Nelson scored twice, four players had two assists apiece, and there was production up and down the lineup.
“We believe in the depth we have,” winger Jake Guentzel said. “There’s good players on every line. That’s just where American hockey is right now.”
Brock Nelson of the United States celebrates his goal with teammates during the men’s Group A match against Latvia in the Winter Olympics at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 12, 2026, in Milan, Italy. Maryam Majd / Getty Images
After a weird first period with a couple of video reviews and a tying goal by Latvia, the Americans found their groove and for long stretches barely let their opponents have the puck. The U.S. outshot Latvia 38-18 and needed starter Connor Hellebuyck to make only 17 saves.
“I felt like we controlled the play,” center Jack Eichel said. “We’re going to continue to get better every game in this tournament, every period in this tournament. That’s our goal, and it’s a good start for us.”
Elvis Merzlikins was under siege at the other end, and after Nelson’s second goal he sat in the crease with his head bowed in his lap. An odd-man rush became a version of the Harlem Globetrotters on ice with pass after pass: Jack Hughes to brother Quinn to Matthew Tkachuk, back to Jack and then to Nelson to tap into a half-open net with 11.1 seconds left in the second period.
“I don’t think there’s much to do,” Merzlikins said. “If that guy wouldn’t score, probably the other guy would score because I felt completely two open guys, and it’s hard to save something like that.”
Arturs Silovs of Team Latvia reacts after conceding a goal to the U.S. in the third period of their Group A match in the Winter Olympics at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 12, 2026 in Milan, Italy. Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
Brady Tkachuk scored the first U.S. goal of the tournament less than six minutes in, and Tage Thompson roofed a nifty backhander on the power play, making coach Mike Sullivan look smart for putting the 6-foot-6 winger on the loaded top unit. Four goals on 32 shots was enough to chase Merzlikins, who was pulled to start the third for Arturs Silovs.
Captain Auston Matthews welcomed Silovs to the Olympics with a power-play goal, assisted on by Eichel and Quinn Hughes. Each of them had two assists, along with Matthew Tkachuk and Jack Hughes.
“I just think the depth that we have, it showed,” Brady Tkachuk said. “I thought everybody played a great game tonight. You just see the buy-in. You see the buy-in of every line playing the right way.”
Speaking to CBS News after the game, Jack Hughes noted that the smaller ice rink used in the Winter Olympics has not been a major issue.
“Talking about it beforehand, you think it would be a much bigger deal,” Jack Hughes said. “You know, so, the rink’s pretty nice. I’m sure as the tournament gets along, the ice will get better. When you’re out there, the size isn’t too big of a difference.”
And asked by CBS News about the NHL’s in-season pause during the Olympics, and whether he believes Olympic hockey is better, Thompson responded: “I just think it’s best on best, you know, I think any time you’re taking all the best hockey players and having them represent their country, there comes another level of pride when you wear your colors. And obviously, the intensity gets heightened.”
The U.S. plays Denmark on Saturday night before wrapping up the preliminary round 24 hours later against Germany.
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