On a day filled with fiercely fought games, the US wasn\u2019t nearly as sharp as it was in its 5-1 opening win over Latvia. Both Swayman and Danish counterpart Mads Sogaard had rough nights. <\/p>\n
Swayman, the Bruins ace, was twice beaten in the first period. The first came at 1:40 on Nick Olesen\u2019s slapper from inside the red line that was kicked in by US defenseman Zach Werenski for a 1-0 lead. After Matt Boldy tied it with his wraparound at 3:35, Jensen\u2019s shot from the point gave Denmark a 2-1 lead at 11:16. <\/p>\n
Get Starting Point<\/p>\n
A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, it\u2019s just battle and adversity and do whatever you have to do to stop the puck, and I\u2019m really proud of this group for staying even keeled,\u201d said Swayman, who finished with 18 saves on 21 shots. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe confidence never left the group and that\u2019s a serious trait at this stage in the tournament. And the guys rallied and we got it done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sogaard, meanwhile, left the game with what looked like a right leg injury in the third period. He stopped 32 of 37 shots. <\/p>\n
The US (2-0) remained atop Group C standings with 6 points, and a plus-7 goal differential, heading into Sunday\u2019s preliminary finale against Germany (3:10 p.m.). <\/p>\n
The low-danger chance that eluded Swayman instantly became a debate topic. <\/p>\n
On the NBC broadcast, former NHL goalie Brian Boucher suggested the color of the boards in Swayman\u2019s sightline \u2014 an almost-black shade of blue \u2014 could have hidden the puck. Jensen also shot around the royal blue uniform of Boldy, who was trying to check him. <\/p>\n
Swayman said he was flash-screened, and while he lost the shot \u2014 \u201cit was the perfect height between the boards and the stands\u201d \u2014 he is colorblind, so the hue of the boards didn\u2019t affect him. <\/p>\n
\u201cSame way, baby,\u201d he said of his confidence level after the goal. \u201cDoesn\u2019t waver.\u201d <\/p>\n
When it went in, Jensen grinned in apparent disbelief. A veteran of the German league, the 36-year-old had scored three times in 11 years of international play, and never in two Olympic appearances.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst I wanted to dump it, and then I was like, \u2018OK, I might as well just put it toward the net,\u2019\u201d Jensen said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to see with the bleachers, but no, I got lucky. And I appreciate he gave me that.\u201d <\/p>\n
US coach Mike Sullivan said he didn\u2019t consider pulling Swayman at any point on Saturday. Teammate Jack Eichel said no one had to counsel him. <\/p>\n
\u201cSway is a confident man,\u201d said Eichel, who had a goal and an assist, despite losing the puck in the lights a few times. \u201cHe knows nine times out of 10 \u2014 or 99 times out of 100 \u2014 he\u2019s going to have that. It\u2019s a crazy play. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t fault him. He\u2019s part of our group, he made some huge saves for us at key times of the game. Funky bounce. You just move on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Three second-period goals, from Brady Tkachuk, North Chelmsford\u2019s Eichel and Norwood\u2019s Noah Hanifin, gave the US a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes. <\/p>\n
The Danes cut the lead to one near the second intermission, when defenseman Phillip Bruggisser, tallied a point shot blocker side with three seconds remaining in the period. <\/p>\n
Jake Guentzel made it a two-goal game, 5-3, at 7:24 of the third, hammering home an Auston Matthews feed from the left hash mark. <\/p>\n
Lifted with nine minutes left, Sogaard appeared to tweak his right leg while robbing Brady Tkachuk in the slot. Backup Frederik Dichow allowed the sixth US goal when Jack Hughes banked it in off Dichow\u2019s skate. <\/p>\n
Sullivan dressed Connor Hellebuyck as his backup, making Jake Oettinger unavailable. Going in, the Americans were widely viewed as having the best goaltending in the tournament. <\/p>\n
Asked before the game what went into the decision to start Swayman, Sullivan noted they were playing three games in four nights, and that he had three goalies capable of winning. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s unclear who he will choose Sunday \u2014and whether Swayman will get another start in this tournament. <\/p>\n
\u201cDefinitely one I want back,\u201d Swayman said of the red-line shot, \u201cbut at the same time, especially at this level, you\u2019ve got to stay even-keeled. It\u2019s one shot at a time and no matter how they go in, you\u2019ve got to step up and stop the next one.\u201d<\/p>\n