Team USA's dominant start to the Olympics in Game 1 turned into a closer-than-expected victory over Denmark in Game 2. Their chances of clinching the top overall seed took a hit, but they dealt with some adversity effectively.
The USA's men's Olympic hockey team couldn't have asked for a better first game, but they certainly could have for their second.
When they took out Team Latvia on Thursday, they were firing on all pistons, with five players recording two points. And star goalie Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets was nearly perfect for the Americans, which looked like the dominant force many believed they'd be at the Games.
The Americans got a reality check on Saturday courtesy of Team Denmark, which put up a fight for much of the game before the States pulled away and won 6-3.
Subpar goaltending from Jeremy Swayman and an offense against a team the United States were expected to blow out could have made their next two games more difficult than they needed to be. That said, the wakeup call could help them adjust and come out stronger.
The result turned out to be in Team USA's favor, with the Americans outshooting Denmark 47-21. But it was not nearly as one-sided as the score or shot count might suggest.
The Danes took the first two leads of the game, less than two minutes into the first period and again midway through the first. Nobody had that on their bingo card. And although the Americans wound up flexing their muscles by scoring three times in a 7:57 span during the second period, the game on the whole was far closer than the U.S. would've preferred.
Team USA now has a goal differential of plus-7 in Group C play. That's not as good as Canada's goal differential of plus-9 in Group A after two games, but if the Americans can maul Team Germany in their final round-robin game on Sunday, and if Canada has a low-scoring game against France that same day, it's still possible the U.S. locks up the No. 1 seed.
And conversely, it's still possible that the States wobble and wind up behind the powerhouse Canadians and end up with a less favorable quarterfinal matchup.
But one thing is clear: Swayman has probably played his final game in these Olympics.
First of all, the Boston Bruins veteran goalie gave up a goal to Danish defenseman Nicholas B. Jensen that was shot from center ice. He told reporters post-game he didn't see the puck and that it was a flash screen.
"It was just the perfect height, right between the stands and board level," he said. "I truly lost it… No matter how they go in, you have to step up and stop the next one."
As the crowd in Italy gasped at Swayman's miscue, Jensen's goal gave Team Denmark a 2-1 lead.
Then, with three seconds left in the second period, after the U.S. scored three unanswered goals, Denmark defenseman Phillip Bruggisser took a slapshot from the top of the zone that beat Swayman as well. It's possible J.T. Miller screened him when he went for the block, but shots from low-danger areas like that should be fairly routine stops.
Team Denmark's scoring showed the Americans how much tightening up they need to do before the stakes of the Games get significantly higher.
That almost certainly means Hellebuyck will be the go-to netminder for the U.S. until further notice, although that was probably the plan anyway. After tomorrow, there aren't any back-to-back games for Team USA, which clinched Group C with the win.
That doesn't mean the road ahead for Team America will be easier. It could turn out to be considerably tougher, with a possible showdown against Team Sweden in the cards if the U.S. are the No. 2 seed and if the Swedes win their qualifying match.
The good vibes of the Americans' first game quickly evaporated in Game 2 against the Danes. In the end, the result went their way, but if their first game unfolded like a pleasant dream, their second game was a cold wakeup call that they have to show urgency against any team, no matter how their opponents look on paper.
Don't get it twisted – the Americans still have a lot to like about their Olympics thus far. And the brief stretch of adversity they faced on Saturday may be exactly what they need to thrive when the games matter most. No team has a flawless road to a gold medal performance, and Team USA learned against Denmark that you need to put in the work and earn every 'W' that puts you any closer to the Olympic podium.
Fighting your way through rough spots – and emerging stronger on the other side of it – is the hallmark of every champion. We'll see how the U.S. reacts to this close call, but for now, at least, their destiny is very much in their hands.
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