Latvia’s Teddy Blueger tried to make a pass out of his defensive zone, but the puck hit the skates of Nylander and went to the stick of Sweden teammate Joel Eriksson Ek, whose shot on goal hit Kempe’s right skate and went in for a 1-0 lead at 10:55.

In a showdown between three members of the Canucks organization, it was Teddy Blueger and Anri Ravinskis who came out victorious with Latvia taking a 4–3 win against Germany. Latvia’s first win of the tournament came with a different goaltender in net, as former Canuck Artūrs Šilovs started for his team today.

Team USA's quest for its first Olympic men's hockey gold since 1980 began against Latvia at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, with the B/R staff on hand to deliver live analysis and reaction.

Another full day of action is underway at the 2026 Winter Olympics, with several medal events and the quarterfinals of the men’s hockey tournament throughout the day. The United States faces Sweden with a shot to guarantee a medal game,

Two teams with differing expectations meet in the first round of the knockout stage, as Lucas Raymond and Sweden take on Latvia in the men’s playoff qualifiers at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

SportsLine's expert Mike Severance reveals his USA vs. Latvia picks for their Winter Olympics men's hockey matchup on Thursday

It’s been a long time coming for Latvia. They stunned Germany, 4-3, in men’s hockey on Saturday, marking their first win in the competition at a Winter Olympics since 2014, when they beat Switzerland.

Elvis Merzlikins, a star NHL goalie for the Columbus Blue Jackets, is set to represent Team Latvia at the Olympics. He faces a tough opener against Team USA. Merzlikins sees this as a significant personal challenge to showcase his skills on the world's biggest stage.

The United States and Latvia face off in this Group C men's ice hockey matchup during the 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday.