Brock Nelson's two-goal performance leads Team USA to victory over Latvia in Olympic debut

Protesters and police officers clashed in Milan, Italy, after the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Team USA is off to a hot start in men’s ice hockey at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, defeating Latvia, 5-1, to open play Thursday night.

While the team is filled with young talent, it was the oldest player on the team, 34-year-old Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche, scoring twice for the U.S. in the second period to lead the squad.

Nelson was patient with his first goal, which broke a 1-1 tie in the second period when New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes found him in front of the net. Nelson dangled his way around Latvian goalie Elvis Merzlikins for the 2-1 lead.

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Brock Nelson of the U.S. celebrates his goal with teammates during a men's preliminary Group A match against Latvia at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena Feb. 12, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (RvS.Media/Robert Hradil)

Then, with less than one minute to play in the second, the U.S. found itself in prime position to blow the doors open when Hughes got the puck again from Matthew Tkachuk.

As Hughes surveyed the ice, Nelson didn’t waste any time with the one-time shot from a nifty pass that found the back of the net for his second goal of the period.

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Earlier in the game, Nelson scored on a tip on a shot at the blue line by Team USA. But Latvia won its second challenge of the first period on goals after referees determined goaltender interference affected the result.

Before Nelson’s goal was called back, Quinn Hughes was denied a goal after the Latvian bench challenged for offsides before