USA Hockey pounces Latvia in first Olympic game

Team USA beat Latvia 5-1 to open up pool play Thursday

MILAN, Italy (KYMA) - The United States men's hockey team opened Olympic play in dominant fashion, defeating Latvia 5-1 in its highly anticipated return to NHL-backed competition for the first time in 12 years.

With NHL players back on the Olympic stage, Team USA entered the tournament as one of the most talked-about squads, and wasted little time showing why.

The Americans stormed onto the ice with energy and control, quickly setting the tone against Latvia. Brady Tkachuk put the United States on the board early, snapping a shot into the top-right corner of the net to give the Americans a 1-0 lead.

The offensive pressure did not let up.

Midway through the game, the United States strung together a crisp sequence of back-to-back-to-back passes before Jack Hughes held the puck and found Brock Nelson in stride.

Nelson finished the play to extend the lead, drawing comparisons on the broadcast to the free-flowing style of the Harlem Globetrotters.

The United States continued to dictate possession and tempo throughout the contest, pulling away for a 5-1 victory to begin group play.

With the win, the Americans earned three points in the standings and immediately positioned themselves as a team to watch as the tournament progresses.

On Saturday, Team USA beat Denmark 6-3 and will take on Germany today at 1:10 p.m. in their final game of group play.