Olympic Ice Hockey

The first jam-packed schedule of 2018 Winter Olympic ice hockey is ready to begin on Thursday, as the puck is set to drop in five games between the men's and women's brackets in Pyeongchang.

The U.S. men's team will be among those taking the ice, but it will be for the second time following its opening contest against Slovenia on Wednesday. Meanwhile, contenders like Canada and Sweden will start their quests for a gold medal in games each should be heavily favored in.

Set your alarms early if you plan on catching most of the action live, as many games throughout this tournament will be played in the early morning with a few scattered late at night. Thursday's games can be live-streamed at NBCOlympics.com.

     

Thursday Olympic Hockey Schedule

Men's Bracket

Norway vs. Sweden, 2:40 a.m. ET

Switzerland vs. Canada, 7:10 a.m. ET

Czech Republic vs. South Korea, 7:10 a.m. ET

U.S. vs. Slovakia, 10:10 p.m. ET

     

Women's Bracket

Olympic Athletes from Russia vs. Finland, 2:40 a.m. ET

      

Thursday Preview

There is a significant margin between the upper tier of squads in each bracket and the next group of teams, which should make Thursday's results fairly predictable.

The U.S. and the Russian team are clearly the class of Group B, with the latter arguably the favorite to win the entire competition thanks to veteran superstars like Pavel Datsyuk and Ilya Kovalchuk leading a loaded roster.

Like Slovenia, Slovakia is a team the Americans should easily take care of. Doing so in a thorough manner will also be important, as goal differential could come into play should the Russian team and the U.S. tie atop the group.

The Americans are not built to just outscore teams, which means their goals-for numbers may not be sparkling. Still, they have plenty of skill with guys like Jordan Greenway up front to be able earn a comfortable win over a Slovakia team that simply lacks the personnel to skate with the U.S. over an entire game.

Canada and Switzerland, though, provides the most intriguing matchup of the day.

Depth is the clear strength of every Canadian national hockey team, and this squad is no different. Every player has seen time in the NHL at some point, and some like Chris Kelly, Mason Raymond and Derek Roy enjoyed successful runs in the league.

Roy in particular put up over 500 career points in over 700 NHL games, but the 34-year-old is still showing his top-end skill in the KHL:

He should act as Canada's No. 1 center throughout the tournament, but the team should be able to get scoring from all four lines. There is a solid mix of youth integrated with this group also, as guys like Quinton Howden, Christian Thomas and Linden Vey are all in their mid-20s. Thomas in particular is a known sniper who has 36 goals in his last 95 games in the AHL.

Switzerland will trot out a couple of familiar players for NHL fans in former Anaheim Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller and former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Raphael Diaz, but it will have a hard time not getting worn down by Canada.

One player to keep an eye on is Pius Suter, a 21-year-old undrafted center who is lighting up Switzerland's top league this season with 38 points in 33 games. Should he produce a strong tournament, he could get a look at an NHL camp next year.

As for the other two men's matchups, the Czech Republic and Norway should be able to easily overpower countries like Korea and Norway that lack any high-end players to skate with the European powers.

The main attraction here is Rasmus Dahlin, the Swedish defenseman widely regarded as the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft this summer. The smooth skating 17-year-old is a magician with the puck at the blue line, and he is sure to produce some highlights in this tournament.

Meanwhile, the lone women's contest is a must-win for both Finland and the Russian team. 

Both sides drew overwhelming favorites Canada and the U.S. in its first two games. Finland put up a fight with a 3-1 loss to the Americans and a 4-1 defeat to Canada, as it even led the U.S. 1-0 after the first period.

On the other hand, it has been a struggle for the Russian team thanks to two 5-0 losses that saw a combined 31 shots on net.

Expect Finland to pull out a win here, but the two early losses could result in the unideal situation of having to face either Canada or the U.S. early in the knockout stage.

           

Individual statistics are courtesy of hockeydb.com. Team statistics are courtesy of Olympic.org.

The allure of the Olympic men's ice hockey tournament may have dwindled due to the absence of NHL players, but it still carries intrigue.

The 12-team tournament that begins on Wednesday features a favorite to win gold in each of the three groups for pool play, a move that should keep Olympic Athletes from Russia, Canada and Sweden away from each other until the semifinals.

Former San Jose Sharks, New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings player Tony Granato is in charge of a United States squad that is made up of players from college, the AHL and abroad.

Below is everything you need to know about the Olympic men's ice hockey tournament.

       

Groups

Group A

Canada

Czech Republic

Switzerland

South Korea

          

Schedule

Thursday, February 15

Czech Republic vs. South Korea (7:10 a.m. ET)

Canada vs. Switzerland (7:10 a.m. ET)

      

Friday, February 16 (Game takes place in Pyeongchang on Saturday, February 17)

Canada vs. Czech Republic (10:10 p.m. ET)

       

Saturday, February 17

Switzerland vs. South Korea (2:40 a.m. ET)

      

Sunday, February 18

Czech Republic vs. Switzerland (2:40 a.m. ET)

Canada vs. South Korea (7:10 a.m. ET)

      

Group B

United States

Olympic Athletes from Russia

Slovenia

Slovakia

      

Schedule

Wednesday, February 14

United States vs. Slovenia (7:10 a.m. ET)

Olympic Athletes from Russia vs. Slovakia (7:10 a.m. ET)

      

Thursday, February 15 (Game takes place in Pyeongchang on Friday, February 16) 

United States vs. Slovakia (10:10 p.m. ET)

      

Friday, February 16

Olympic Athletes from Russia vs. Slovenia (2:40 a.m. ET)

      

Saturday, February 17

Olympic Athletes from Russia vs. United States (7:10 a.m. ET)

Slovakia vs. Slovenia (7:10 a.m. ET)

      

Group C

Sweden

Finland

Norway

Germany

      

Schedule

Wednesday, February 14 (Game takes place in Pyeongchang on Thursday, February 15)

Finland vs. Germany (10:10 p.m. ET)

      

Thursday, February 15

Norway vs. Sweden (2:40 a.m. ET)

      

Friday, February 16

Finland vs. Norway (7:10 a.m. ET)

Sweden vs. Germany (7:10 a.m. ET)

      

Saturday, February 17 (Game takes place in Pyeongchang on Sunday, February 18)

Norway vs. Germany (10:10 p.m. ET)

      

Sunday, February 18

Sweden vs. Finland (7:10 a.m. ET)

      

Bracket

After pool play, the teams will be ranked, with the top four squads receiving byes into the quarterfinals. 

      

Playoff Round (Monday, February 19 and Tuesday, February 20) 

No. 8 vs. No. 9

No. 5 vs. No. 12 

No. 6 vs. No. 11

No. 7 vs. No. 10

      

Quarterfinals (Tuesday, February 20 and Wednesday, February 21)

No. 1 vs. winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9

No. 4 vs. winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12

No. 3 vs. winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11

No. 2 vs. winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10

      

Semifinals

No. 1 vs. No. 8 or No. 9 winner vs. No. 4 vs. No. 5 or No. 12 winner

No. 3 vs. No. 6 or No. 11 winner vs. No. 2 vs. No. 7 or No. 10 winner

     

3rd-Place Game (Friday, February 23)

Loser of semifinal No. 1 vs. Loser of semifinal No. 2

      

Final (Saturday, February 24 at 11:10 p.m. ET)

Winner of semifinal No. 1 vs. winner of semifinal No. 2

      

Odds (via Oddsshark)

Olympic Athletes from Russia (+225; Bet $100 to win $225) 

Canada (+275)

Sweden (+400)

Finland (+800)

Czech Republic (+900)

United States (+900)

Switzerland (+3,300)

Germany (+6,600)

Slovakia (+6,600)

Norway (+10,000)

Slovenia (+25,000)

South Korea (+25,000)

       

Loaded Roster Makes Olympic Athletes from Russia the Favorite

While the NHL players won't be showing up in South Korea, there will be a large contingent from the KHL in South Korea, especially on the Olympic Athletes from Russia roster.

The Russian domestic league is represented by every player on the Russian roster, including 15 players from league leader SKA Saint Petersburg.

The big names on the roster are Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk because of the time they spent in the NHL, but you should keep an eye on Vadim Shipachyov, who provided 11 assists at the 2017 IIHF World Championships.

The United States is the top competition for the Russians in pool play, but given the talent gap between the two rosters, it may not be a close affair to close out action in Group B.

Olympic Athletes from Russia's claim to the Olympic hockey throne will be tested by two-time defending champion Canada and 2006 gold-medal winner Sweden, one of which should face the Russians in the semifinals.

       

Can the Americans Use 1980 as Motivation?

There are a few similarities between the 2018 United States men's hockey team and the 1980 group that upset the Russians on the way to a gold medal on home soil.

The group of collegiate and minor-league players will try to conjure up the spirits of the past and use them as motivation in a tournament they aren't supposed to medal in.

Games against Slovenia and Slovakia to start pool play should help the Americans gain confidence before their first real test against the Olympic Athletes from Russia.

While it may seem like a small goal, the United States should try to earn the fourth seed and a bye into the quarterfinals.

That accomplishment is attainable if the Americans rack up goals on their first two opponents with goal differential being one of the tiebreakers that determines playoff seeding.

Once they get into the elimination round, anything is possible from a quarterfinal exit to a shock run into the final spurred by an upset over one of the top seeds.

If the Americans use 1980 as a model for success in 2018, it could help them overcome the gap in talent that they'll face against the top medal contenders .

      

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Olympic.org.

The International Olympic Committee has determined Team USA goalies will be allowed to wear masks emblazoned with images of the Statue of Liberty at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. 

According to ESPN.com, the IOC approved the masks of U.S. women's hockey team goaltenders Alex Rigsby and Nicole Hensley on Tuesday.

USA Today's Kevin Allen first reported the IOC requested Team USA change the masks because one of its rules states: "No item may feature the wording or lyrics from national anthems, motivational words, public/political messaging or slogans related to national identity."

The organization made its decision Tuesday before the United States defeated the Olympic Athletes from Russia, 5-0, at the Kwandong Hockey Centre to improve to 2-0 in group play.

Team USA will return to the ice Thursday for a clash with Canada, which is also 2-0 in Group A and leads the U.S. by one in goal differential. 

The women's hockey teams from Canada and the United States continued to assert their dominance atop Group A with wins over Finland and the Olympic Athletes from Russia, respectively, in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on Tuesday.  

An updated look at the table through Tuesday's tilts can be viewed below: 

• 1. Canada (2-0); 6 points
• 2. United States (2-0); 6 points
• 3. Finland (0-2); 0 points
• 4. Olympic Athletes from Russia (0-2); 0 points

Below, you'll find a recap of the day's results. 

             

Canada 4, Finland 1 

The four-time defending gold medalists are showing no signs of slowing down. 

Two days removed from a 5-0 thrashing of the Olympic Athletes from Russia, Canada trounced Finland 4-1 behind tallies from four different goal-scorers. 

Melodie Daoust was especially impressive as she registered a goal and an assist—including the helper on Meghan Agosta's go-ahead goal 35 seconds into the first period. 

According to NBCOlympics.com's Scott Charles, Agosta (16) now sits second on Canada's all-time goalscoring list. She needs three more to top Hayley Wickenheiser. 

Daoust, meanwhile, has now scored three goals in group play after lighting up the OAR for two goals in Canada's first contest. 

Forwards Marie-Philip Poulin and Jillian Saulnier also found the back of the net as Canada cruised past a Finland side that finished in third place at the 2017 World Championships. 

"I think the team's in a good spot right now," goalie Shannon Szabados said, per the IIHF's Andrew Podniek. "We have some amazing forwards with some poise and some patience and some great shots. I'm not really surprised with what they’ve been doing. We've just got to keep that moving forward."

          

United States 5, Olympic Athletes from Russia 0 

The United States used a goalscoring deluge in the second period to bolt past the OAR and keep pace with Canada in Group A. 

After Kacey Bellamy opened the scoring in the first period, Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson erupted and scored goals six seconds apart midway through the second stanza to give the U.S. a commanding lead. 

.@usahockey's Jocelyne Lamoureux has made Olympic hockey history by scoring two goals in just six seconds! 🇺🇸 https://t.co/q75WUVWI8y pic.twitter.com/mhQojGRf9m

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 13, 2018

Gigi Marvin added a fourth tally later in the frame—leaving the Olympic Athletes from Russia in an insurmountable hole as they fell to 0-2 in Pyeongchang. 

The United States has now outscored its opponents by seven goals dating back to Sunday's 3-1 win over Finland. 

The world's No. 1-ranked team will be back in action Thursday for a titanic clash with Canada in the final game of group play. 

The OAR and Finland will both vie for their first wins of the tournament the same day before the playoffs get underway Saturday. 

On the power of three second-period goals, the United States women's hockey team improved to 2-0 at the 2018 Winter Olympics on Tuesday with a 5-0 win over the Olympic Athletes from Russia at Kwandong Hockey Centre in Pyeongchang, South Korea. 

Forward Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson led the way for Team USA with two goals and one assist, scoring twice in a matter of six seconds during the second frame.

The United States controlled the tempo throughout and peppered the Olympic Athletes from Russia with 50 shots while allowing only 13 shots on winning goaltender Nicole Hensley.

By virtue of Team USA's win, it kept pace atop Group A with Canada, which defeated Finland earlier Tuesday, 4-1, to move to 2-0 as well.

After picking up a too-close-for-comfort 3-1 win over Finland in its opening game, Team USA experienced frustrating moments during Tuesday's first period.

OAR goaltender Valeria Tarakanova made some big saves to keep her team in it, but the Americans broke through first with a goal by defenseman Kacey Bellamy just over eight minutes into the contest.

Despite the Olympic Athletes from Russia's early gutsy effort, Dan Wolken of USA Today noted there wasn't much crowd support in their favor:

Literally no applause in the building as the PA announcer says, “Welcome back to the ice, Team Olympic Athletes from Russia!” US team got polite clapping.

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) February 13, 2018

Team USA's 1-0 lead held up for more than half of the second period, but the Americans broke the game open during a three-minute stretch with three goals.

The first came courtesy of Lamoureux-Davidson, who made good on an assist from her sister, Monique Lamoureux-Morando.

On the next faceoff, Lamoureux-Davidson stole the puck and froze the goalie with a beautiful deke to make it 3-0 in favor of the United States.

According to Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times, Lamoureux-Davidson set a new Olympic hockey record for the shortest time between goals at just six seconds:

The fine folks at @IIHFHockey say that the goals scored six seconds apart by Team USA's Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson are the fastest two goals in Olympic hockey history, men or women. Previous record: 8 seconds apart, set by Sweden's Carl Goran Oberg in 1960 at Squaw Valley.

— Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) February 13, 2018

As Jon Rosen of Fox Sports West pointed out, Lamoureux-Davidson's goals were a fitting reward for the Americans, considering how much they had outplayed the Olympic Athletes from Russia to that point:

Wow! Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson scores twice within six seconds - the second on a gorgeous deke and backhand - puts USA up 3-0 on OAR in the second period. Americans now cashing in on possession advantage and getting pucks and bodies to the net.

— LA Kings Central (@LAKCentral) February 13, 2018

The United States wasn't done, as it added another goal less than three minutes after Lamoureux-Davidson's second marker.

Team USA went up 4-0 when Gigi Marvin poked a loose puck past Tarakanova, which chased the Russian goalie from the game in favor of Nadezhda Morozova.

The Americans carried that 4-0 advantage into the second intermission, and while ESPN.com's Chris Peters praised OAR's effort, he noted Team USA's onslaught was too much to overcome:

It appears Russia's strategy of letting the U.S. have the puck the whole time has not worked out. Was really impressed with how well Russia was protecting the middle/net, but that's hard to keep up for 60. And when Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson is on the other team...

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) February 13, 2018

The final period largely featured the United States' efforts to run out the clock, although forward Hannah Brandt did have a goal disallowed.

After batting the puck in from midair, her goal was questionably waved off and called a hand pass.

Brandt refused to be denied, though, as she took a feed from Dani Cameranesi and scored with less than two minutes left to provide the 5-0 finishing margin.

With a goal differential of plus-seven though two games, the Americans are technically second in Group A behind Canada and its plus-eight goal differential.

The Group A winner will officially be determined Thursday when the United States and Canada meet in a highly anticipated clash.

Regardless of the result, the United States and Canada have already qualified for the semifinals, meaning a USA vs. Canada gold-medal game is within reach for the fifth time in Olympic women's hockey history.

Conversely, Tuesday's loss means the Olympic Athletes from Russia will face either Switzerland or Sweden in the quarterfinals.

GANGNEUNG, South Korea — They decided to tape over the flags when the North Koreans joined. The news shocked them as much as anyone else, but it quickly became their day-to-day reality.

The North Koreans were going to be arriving the next day to join their Olympic hockey team, and while the news was unexpected, the South Korean women needed to make every effort to help the North Koreans know they were in this together.

The gear, of course, had already come in weeks before, the country's white, red and blue flag sewn into everything from their jackets to their gloves. They needed to cover it up because the flag didn't represent their team anymore.

"We couldn't be brandishing South Korean flags anymore," forward Caroline Park said. "That's one thing we wanted to do to make sure everyone feels we're unified. Trying to be as inclusive as possible, covering up that flag."

The DIY-ness of it all—the last-minute duct tape covering the flags on their gloves, the unified flag patches added to the team's gear—mirrored the job that suddenly faced Korea head coach Sarah Murray. The 29-year-old Canadian now had to achieve, on the ice at least, a task world diplomats haven't been able to achieve for more than 60 years: unite the North and South on the Korean peninsula. With less than a month before the games kicked off, Murray needed to integrate 12 North Koreans into a team that already included 23 South Koreans.

Murray expressed trepidation about it from the beginning, telling reporters she had "mixed feelings" about the unified team.

There were so many unanswered questions. How good would the players be? How quickly would they be able to adjust to the South Koreans' playing style? How many could keep up?

There were obviously the potential political motivations of the North Korean organizers, that joining the two teams would gain unearned goodwill for a dictatorship known for its human rights atrocities, that acknowledging the positive foot put forward by Kim Jong Un would only further enable a charm offensive.

All of that was on top of the challenges Murray knew would come up without notice. Worst-case scenario, she thought, the two teams would be a false symbol of unity, not talking to each other or spending real time together. She worried the combined countries would be more cosmetic symbol than actual team. The two teams were already not staying in the same building in the media village and had to take two different buses to the facilities.

But in Olympic storybook fashion, the new teammates instead seemed to bond.

Almost immediately, the team began to eat meals together. In the locker room, the North Koreans were mixed among the South Koreans. They began to conquer the language barriers that face the team, bridging communication between the South Koreans and the North Koreans, whose dialect has drastically diverged since the countries split, and the Koreans who primarily speak English.

At one meal, Murray noticed defenseman Marissa Brandt, playing for the country under her birth name, Park Yoonjung, and a North Korean player using their hands to talk to one another, ending the conversation with a hug.

"To see them together at meals, laughing and joking, they're just girls," Murray said. "It's really special to see."

In the team's debut Saturday against Switzerland, four North Korean players suited up, with Han Soo-jin hitting the crossbar on one of the team's eight shots in an 8-0 loss at Kwandong Hockey Centre.

The game was never much of a competition, with the Swiss outshooting their opponents by 44 and most of the Koreans' shots coming from just past the blue line, without much of a chance of hitting the twine.

"I don't think they've ever seen this much speed on the ice," said Im Danelle, a Toronto native representing South Korea, talking about her North Korean teammates. "That's something they're going to have to adjust to, but they're doing a great job."

The political overtones, of course, are as unavoidable as The Rock in a summer blockbuster. Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, surprised many by making an appearance at the Koreans' hockey game, accompanied by 230 North Korean cheerleaders, dubbed the "army of beauties" by the South Korean media.

On the surface, much of what the North Koreans are putting forward directly contradicts their reputation. Kim Yo Jong's smile and handshake with Korean President Moon Jae-in appears like a departure from the reputation of the cruel dictatorship.

During Saturday's hockey match, the North Korean cheerleaders continually sang over the mostly Western music played during intermission. They sang "Unify the motherland!" as South Korean entertainers covered "Uptown Funk." They made choreographed motions while performing North Korean folk songs, as Kanye West's "Stronger" reverberated through the arena.

They cheered whenever the Korean hockey team touched the puck, regardless of the situation. They maintained a single, consistent level of excitement, as if preprogrammed, their cheers never becoming more positive or more negative. With the score 8-0 and a minute-and-a-half left in the game, the cheerleaders, on cue from their leaders, chanted, "Let's win! Let's win! Let's win!"

The team knows everyone is watching. The mixed zone after the loss to Switzerland barely contained the nearly 100 reporters hoping to get a glimpse of the team. The players openly admit to the pressures of the extra eyes as well, some coming from the highest political offices in the world.

"This is my first Olympics, and I think taking it all in, we are all a little nervous," goalie Shin So Jung said in Korean. "We heard the cheerleaders, and it's not just the president that has interest in us. So many people are watching us now, and we know that. We want to play better for them. We don't want to disappoint them, but the results haven't turned out the way we wanted. We feel a little sad about it. We've been a team together for about a week. We are one team, so we're trying to be one team as well as possible."

Look past all the fireworks, cheerleaders and bluster. The bonds between the non-politicians, the hockey players sharing the ice under one flag, tell a different story, the one of what might happen should the Korean peninsula reunite one day.

"I think we're stronger together than we're divided," said North Korean player Jong Su Hyon in Korean. "As one unified team, I hope we can continue to train together. I think we will excel together as one unified team, not just in sport, but in other areas as well."

The day after the team's loss, Korea goaltending coach Rebecca Baker worked with Jung on her goaltending at the Kwandong Training Rink, setting up an iPad to record video. Assistant coaches Kim Doyun, from the South, and Pak Chol Ho, from the North, assisted alongside, passing and shooting the puck on the netminder.

Murray credits Pak as one of the major reasons the team has been able to bond quickly. He's accepted nearly any suggestion from the head coach and guided his players from the North to bond with those from the South. In the early days of practice, Pak remained a silent presence with all of the corporate logos on his clothing covered, unlike the logos Murray and Kim display.

On Sunday, as Baker worked with Jung individually, Kim and Pak skated down to the other end of the ice and began shooting pucks at the open net, some of which crashed into the glass behind it. They met up near the blue line and began to talk hockey, laughing over something.

Their countries have been divided for 60 years and counting now, but somehow, they have found themselves in the exact same place, aiming at a singular goal in a world where unity doesn't yet exist.

The absence of NHL players might have knocked the U.S. men's Olympic hockey team from the perennial-contender status it has enjoyed for the past two decades, but the 2018 squad still has the potential to make a run in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The NHL's decision to skip the Winter Olympics denies fans the chance to see young phenoms such as Jack Eichel and Auston Matthews suit up for the U.S. on the brightest international stage, but there are still several new players who could become household names in America over the next few weeks.

While some of the world's best players may not be featured this year, it has allowed guys who would never have sniffed Team USA to get a chance to live out a dream.

So how should Americans set their expectations for the men's hockey team? Heading into the opening match on Wednesday, the U.S. are not seen as favorites, according to OddsShark.com.

                

Olympics 2018 Men's Hockey Gold-Medal Odds

Olympic Athletes of Russia: 9-4

Canada: 11-4

Sweden: 4-1

Finland: 8-1

Czech Republic: 9-1

USA: 9-1

Switzerland: 33-1

Germany: 66-1

Slovakia: 66-1

Norway: 100-1

Slovenia: 250-1

Republic of Korea: 250-1

               

US Team Preview

The United States, like most countries, had two options when selecting a team. It could load up on ultra-talented young players such as Casey Mittelstadt or Brady Tkachuk to resemble a World Junior Championship team, or it could go for former NHL players now playing elsewhere.

The American squad that will take the ice in South Korea will lean more toward the latter, but there are several young guns to keep an eye on.

Jordan Greenway leads the group. The Boston University junior and Minnesota Wild prospect is a massive power forward at 6'5" and 230 pounds who has 82 points in 104 games during his college career. The 20-year-old will also make U.S. history on Wednesday:

Jordan Greenway, a forward for Boston University, is the first African-American to compete for the U.S. men's hockey team in the Olympics. https://t.co/GXYGU7BSGb

— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) February 11, 2018

Troy Terry and his slick hands should also stand out in this tournament. The 20-year-old, a junior with Denver, has been lighting up the NCAA ranks in the past two seasons in particular with 77 points in his last 63 games.

He should provide a nice influx of skill on the power play, and his famed shootout skills could make him this year's version of T.J. Oshie:

While Greenway and Terry may highlight a small group of young players, it does not mean the older crowd cannot make some noise.

Captain Brian Gionta, who is playing despite having retired from the NHL this season, is the most accomplished player on the roster.

The 39-year-old should not be expected to bring a ton to the table offensively considering he has not eclipsed 50 points in a season since 2008-09, and he has not put up more than 40 points in the last three years. But he possesses a wealth of experience thanks to 14 full NHL seasons and an Olympics stint in 2006. 

Gionta expects the 2018 group, which also includes notable names such as longtime NHL defenseman James Wisniewski, former first-round pick Bobby Sanguinetti and 2009 Hobey Baker Award winner Matt Gilroy, to be hungry to take advantage of a surprising opportunity.

"It's a group of guys that is well-deserving, they have great careers," Gionta said, per Tara Sullivan of the Boston Globe. "Whether you played a game in the NHL or not, for people, naysayers to knock on that, where these guys play, where we're at, I love our team. I love our hunger. I wouldn't say we have a chip on our shoulder, but we expect to come in here and compete for a medal."

Whether Team USA can actually accomplish that goal is a different story. 

A lack of NHL players hurts every other nation, but the USA does not match the star power and depth of top teams such as Sweden and the Russian team.

The Swedes boast arguably the best goaltending tandem in the shape of former NHL starters Jhonas Enroth and Viktor Fasth in addition to the likely No. 1 pick in next year's draft, Rasmus Dahlin.

Meanwhile, the Russian side will trot out a crazy amount of offensive firepower with former NHL superstars Pavel Datsyuk and Ilya Kovalchuk along with top prospect Kirill Kaprizov and former lottery pick Mikhail Grigorenko.

Throw in the most depth-laden nation in the world in the form of Canada, and the U.S. has its work cut out in terms of medal hopes.

The Americans can stay in every game by playing a disciplined, checking style, but there are obvious deficiencies that can only be masked for so long. Eventually, Sweden will break through in a defensive matchup, Russia will prove to have too much scoring power and Canada will wear the U.S. down by rolling four lines.

A bronze medal appears to be the ceiling for the United States. Expect the team to move into the knockout round without any problems considering lowly Slovakia and Slovenia also reside in Group B with Russia. However, look for the U.S. to fall just short of earning a spot on the podium by the end.

            

Statistics are courtesy of HockeyDB.com. 

The first marquee game of the Olympic ice hockey slate concludes Wednesday's schedule in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The United States and Canada are set to renew their women's hockey rivalry on Wednesday night at the end of pool play.

While the women's pool play starts to end on Wednesday, the men's group action begins with the United States opening its Group B schedule against Slovenia.

The two games featuring American teams are packed on to a schedule that features five games with a wide array of storylines.

              

Wednesday Ice Hockey Schedule

Women's Group B: Korea vs. Japan (2:40 a.m. ET)

Men's Group B: Slovakia vs, Olympic Athletes from Russia (7:10 a.m. ET)

Men's Group B: United States vs. Slovenia (7:10 a.m. ET)

Men's Group C: Finland vs. Germany (10:10 p.m. ET)*

Women's Group A: United States vs. Canada (10:10 p.m. ET)*

*Denotes games played on Thursday morning in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

                  

United States, Canada Set For Gold-Medal Game Preview

The unusual format of the women's tournament hands us an electric matchup in prime time on Wednesday night.

The United States could be poised to finally end Canada's run of four straight Olympic gold medals, with Wednesday's game serving as a litmus test for where both teams stand entering the medal round.

Both teams have impressed so far against quality competition from Finland and the Olympic Athletes from Russia, but the standard is raised when they meet on the ice.

Some of the stars set to grace the ice on Wednesday night include Meghan Duggan and Amanda Kessel of the United States and Marie-Philip Poulin and Meghan Acosta of Canada.

Although Canada has gotten the best of the United States on the Olympic stage, the Americans have won each of the last three World Championships, with the last two victories coming in overtime.

Wednesday's pool-play game will decide which part of the elimination bracket the United States and Canada land on. Both teams will qualify for the semifinals as the two best teams in Group A.

               

Men's Competition Begins on Wednesday

The Olympic Athletes from Russia get a chance to prove why they are the gold-medal favorites in men's ice hockey when the competition begins on Wednesday.

The Russians have a roster that carries plenty of NHL experience, including Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk, and they'll start their Olympic slate against Slovakia.

Outside of Kovalchuk and Datsyuk, the Olympic Athletes from Russia boast a wealth of talented players from their domestic league, the KHL.

With current NHL players not participating in Pyeongchang, the Olympic Athletes of Russia carry a distinct advantage on paper, but they won't be the only gold-medal contender.

Canada and Sweden are also in the hunt for the top spot on the podium, while the United States can reach the medals with a roster full of college athletes and players from the AHL.

The United States, coached by former NHL stars Tony Granato and Chris Chelios, opens its slate against Slovenia on Wednesday.

In order to achieve the best possible finish in Group B, the United States must knock off Slovenia and Slovakia and hope to play the Olympic Athletes from Russia to a tight game.

             

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Olympic.org

The United States men's hockey team opens its quest for Olympic glory on Wednesday against Slovenia.

Head coach Tony Granato is hoping to lead the Americans on to the medal podium, but it will be an uphill task with a roster of college and AHL players.

Any American shot of winning Group B, which also includes Olympic Athletes of Russia and Slovakia, goes through the Russians and their roster loaded with NHL experience.

While the long-term goal of a medal may be tough to attain, Wednesday's opener should present the Americans with an easy victory.

             

Date: Wednesday, February 14

Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com

Odds to Win Tournament (via Odds Shark): United States (+900; Bet $100 to win $900); Slovenia (+25,000)

             

United States Led by Experience

The United States is searching for its first gold medal since the "Miracle On Ice" happened on home soil in 1980.

The American team has attempted to capture the hearts of those back home in recent Olympics, but it only has two silver medals to boast in the intervening 38 years.

There's hope that the collection of college and minor league players will be able to channel the enthusiasm and underdog spirit of the 1980 squad in order to make a deep run into the tournament.

Not all the players on the United States roster are inexperienced, as captain Brian Gionta has decades of NHL play under his belt, and the forward appears to be in excellent form despite not playing much this season, as forward Brian O'Neill told Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press.

"He hasn't played that much hockey this year, but he looks as sharp as ever," O'Neill said. "It's a testament to their work ethic, and it's not a coincidence they've had such great careers. They take their health, their fitness, extremely important and they're ready to go and James Wisniewski's in the same boat as Gionta. ... I'm sure they'll have a couple of offers once the Olympics are over."

The Americans will be led in goal by Ryan Zapolski, who was confirmed as the starter on Tuesday by USA Hockey's official Twitter account:

Ryan Zapolski will get the start in goal Wednesday against Slovenia for the U.S. Men's Olympic Team! Watch live on @NBCSN at 7:10amET. #TeamUSA

Learn more about @rzapolski 👉 https://t.co/5Bs4yROGHF pic.twitter.com/YQoMpKizWZ

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 13, 2018

Zapolski, a Pennsylvania native, was the 2013 ECHL Rookie of the Year before making the move overseas. The 31-year-old plays for Finnish side Jokerit in the KHL.

If Gionta and Zapolski lead by example and help build the confidence of the younger players throughout the tournament, the United States will be in decent shape going into the elimination round.

                

Slovenia Will Struggle at Olympics

Slovenia is entering its second Olympic men's hockey tournament after placing seventh at the 2014 Sochi Games.

With NHL players not participating in Pyeongchang, Slovenia will be without its best athlete, Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings.

The roster for the 2018 Olympics has some veteran leadership, with 30-year-old Jan Mursak the only player with past NHL experience. The forward split time between the Detroit Red Wings and their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, from 2008-2013.

The small European nation will rely on Mursak, who was named captain of the squad, to find the back of the net. But without a ton of talent around him, the American defense could focus on him and eliminate his attacking threat.

If Mursak is shut down, assistant captain Jan Urbas could slot into the scoring role, but he'll have trouble outmatching the American defense, even if there are no NHL players in red, white and blue.

             

Prediction

United States 5, Slovenia 1

The United States should cruise to its first victory of the Olympics as it gains confidence ahead of a Group B clash with the Olympic Athletes of Russia at the end of pool play.

              

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

The International Olympic Committee may require United States goalies Nicole Hensley and Alex Rigsby to remove the Statue of Liberty from their masks, citing a violation of the IOC's rule against an athlete using a political symbol as part of their uniform.

USA Hockey spokesman Dave Fischer told USA Today's Kevin Allen "discussions are ongoing" between the IOC and USA Hockey.

Although patriotism is a large part of the Olympics for every athlete who competes, the IOC has specific guidelines regarding what can and cannot be included on a uniform: "No item may feature the wording or lyrics from national anthems, motivational words, public/political messaging or slogans related to national identity."

Fischer added the IOC should make an official ruling before the United States meets the Olympic Athletes from Russia on Tuesday.

Neither Hensley nor Rigsby played in Team USA's 3-1 victory over Finland, with Maddie Rooney spending all 60 minutes between the pipes.

Hensley and Rigsby wouldn't be the first U.S. goaltenders who had to amend the design on their masks. Officials made Jessie Vetter remove wording from the Constitution from the back of her mask. However, Vetter had an image of the Statue of Liberty on the mask that was allowed to stay.