Team USA is playing its first game in men's hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics, taking on Latvia. With NHL players competing in the Olympics for the first time in 12 years, today's game marks the Olympic debut of several star players including Auston Matthews,

The United States looks to get off on the right foot in Milan on Thursday, as they open up Group C play at the 2026 Winter Olympics against Latvia.

The game is airing on both USA Network and Peacock.

USA hockey's first game is today vs Latvia in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Follow for live score updates, standings, highlights from men's hockey.

USA vs. Latvia box score: Full stats from 2026 Olympic men's hockey preliminary game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Team USA and Latvia meet in the Milano Cortina 2026 preliminary round, where the Olympic points system, early standings pressure and medal-round implications begin to take shape with every shift on the ice.

The Netherlands’ Xandra Velzeboer won gold in the women’s 500-meter speed skating final, while her countryman Jens van T'wout won gold in the men’s 1,000-meter in a thrilling photo finish. Van T'wout overcame heavy favorite William Dandjinou late to claim the victory. No Americans raced for a medal in either event.