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<\/p>\nMILAN\u00a0– The U.S.-Denmark hockey game on Saturday was never going to rival the “blood in the water” water polo match between Hungary and the Soviet Union some 70 years ago.<\/p>\n
That match, played in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, came just 18 days after the Soviets had invaded Hungary. It ended with a 4-0 win by Hungary en route to a gold medal and images of Hungarian player Ervin Zador leaving the match with blood streaming from his face after a hit from a Soviet player.<\/p>\n
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The U.S.-Denmark relations have been limited to words, so far. Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, has been the subject of threats by President Donald Trump to take over the land for the U.S.<\/p>\n
Although the original rhetoric had seemed to subside, Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen, speaking at the Munich Security Conference earlier Saturday, said the crisis over Greenland had not passed, that the desire of President Donald Trump to acquire it for the U.S. was “exactly the same. He’s very serious about this.”<\/p>\n
With that backdrop, Denmark was taking on the U.S., one of the favorites for the gold. The Americans, with a roster full of NHL stars in the league’s return to the Olympics, prevailed 6-3.<\/p>\n
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Fans hold a Greenland national flag before a preliminary round match of men’s ice hockey between United States and Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo\/Petr David Josek) (Petr David Josek\/Associated Press)<\/p>\n
Denmark, playing in only its second Olympics, had only two NHL players on its roster: forward Lars Eller of Ottawa and forward Nikolaj Ehlers of Carolina.<\/p>\n
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“We were definitely the underdogs,” Denmark defenseman Phillip Bruggisser said.<\/p>\n
Denmark, which had its fair share of flags and face-painted fans in the Milano Santagiulia Arena, played an emotional opening period.<\/p>\n
Nick Olesen, one of the players in the tournament without an NHL team on his r\u00e9sum\u00e9, put Denmark up just under two minutes into the game with a shot just outside the crease that made its way past U.S. goalie Jeremy Swayman.<\/p>\n
Matt Boldy (Minnesota Wild) evened the game just two minutes later with a wraparound goal after speeding down the left side.<\/p>\n
Nicholas B. Jensen put Denmark ahead 2-1 with a shot from near center ice that somehow found its way past\u00a0Swayman (Boston Bruins).<\/p>\n
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The period ended with Denmark ahead and a little bit of shoving, and even a small punch, between Oliver Lauridsen and Brady Tkachuk of the U.S.<\/p>\n
Between the first and second period, it seemed only fitting that John Lennon’s “Imagine,” released during the Vietnam War and asking for a world of peace and unity, played in the arena.<\/p>\n
That didn’t stop some of the U.S. fans in the crowd from chanting “We want Greenland,” especially during an 8-minute stretch of the second period when the U.S. scored three goals for a 4-2 advantage.<\/p>\n
Denmark scored with three seconds left in the second period on a shot by Bruggisser.<\/p>\n
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The U.S. extended its lead seven minutes into the final period as Jake Guentzel (Tampa Bay Lightning) scored off a pass from Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs).<\/p>\n
A few minutes later, Matthews got into it with Bruggisser and Lauridsen and was called for cross-checking, but Denmark couldn’t take advantage of the power play.<\/p>\n
The U.S., which added another goal in the third from Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils) is 2-0 in group play and virtually assured of advancing to the quarterfinals. The Americans play Germany on Sunday but certainly have questions about Swayman in net.<\/p>\n
For Denmark, its Olympic hockey tournament is just about over after two losses. Its fight for Greenland, however, continues.<\/p>\n
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“We were just here to play hockey,” Olesen said when asked about the Greenland flag in the stands and the political undertones. “We knew we would have to play our best (against the U.S.) and we did but made a few too many mistakes.”<\/p>\n
Said Bruggisser: “It was just about hockey.”<\/p>\n