Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck has key assist in Team USA’s 5-1 win over Latvia
After playing a largely even game for the first half of its Olympic opener against Latvia, the United States scored the game’s final four goals in its 5-1 win in Milan on Thursday.
Rangers center Vincent Trocheck had the secondary assist on Brock Nelson’s game-winning goal that opened the floodgates at 10:38 of the second period. He finished with a plus-1 rating in 9:11 of ice time.
New York captain J.T. Miller was highly noticeable in the first period, when he would have had an assist on Quinn Hughes’ goal, which was disallowed for offside. Miller did not end up on the score sheet in 12:12 TOI.
Nelson scored twice, and Brady Tkachuk, Tage Thompson and Auston Matthews also connected for Team USA. Connor Hellebuyck made 17 saves for the Americans, who will face Denmark on Saturday at 3:10 p.m. ET.
Vincent Trocheck Assisted on game-winning goal for Team USA
If New York-area hockey fans could coexist, the United States’ game-winning goal would have been a thing of beauty.
Nelson, the former New York Islanders center, scored from New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes and Trocheck, one of the Rangers’ best players.
Trocheck, who started the game as the Americans’ extra forward, took a shift in Miller’s place in the second period, and that move changed the game’s trajectory.
Trocheck fielded a shot off the end boards, then cycled the puck behind the net to Hughes. The Devils’ star center pivoted and found Nelson alone in the slot, and he deked to his backhand before beating Latvian goalie Elvis Merzlikins, putting the Americans ahead 2-1.
The goal opened the floodgates, as the Americans scored two more times in the second period to skate off with a 4-1 lead. Thompson, who hails from the New York suburb of Milford, Connecticut, made it 3-1, then Nelson scored again on a highlight-reel passing play from Hughes that put the U.S. up by three goals.
J.T. Miller was extremely noticeable in the first period
The Americans, including Miller, had an extremely frustrating first period.
Team USA hit the post twice and had two goals taken off the board in the opening 20 minutes. Miller would have gotten the primary assist when Quinn Hughes scored a goal that would have made it 2-0, only to be negated when Nelson was ruled to be offside on the zone entry.
Latvia evened the game seconds after the disallowed goal when Renars Krastenbergs scored at 7:25.
Miller could have been credited with the game-winning goal on a double deflection via Nelson and Brock Faber (Minnesota Wild), but that goal was disallowed due to goalie interference on Miller.
By NHL rules, Miller’s play would not have been goalie interference. But because he entered the crease without being pushed, then did not promptly exit, the goal was disallowed after Latvia coach Harijs Vītoliņš challenged.
Rangers coach Mike Sullivan had a good game
Critics said the Americans left skill at home in favor of grit. But in their first Olympic game, the Americans proved they had plenty of both.
Sullivan pushed many of the right buttons, again in spite of the two disallowed goals in the first period.
His decision to tinker with his fourth line, moving Trocheck in for Miller for a few second-period shifts, led to the GWG. Plus, the Americans began tilting the ice in the second period, where they outshot Latvia 17-2 and scored three times.
The power play scored twice on four opportunities, with Matthews and Thompson each scoring with the extra man.
Miller and Trocheck were the forwards on the Americans’ top PK unit, helping the U.S. kill both of Latvia’s power plays.
