US Olympic Hockey Team 2022: Updated Predictions for Men’s Team

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The United States men’s ice hockey team may be among the youngest competing in the 2022 Winter Olympics, but it also appears to be one of the best. Because since the Americans arrived in Beijing, they have been on a roll.

Team USA went 3-0 during the preliminary round, notching victories over China, Canada and Germany. In doing so, the U.S. earned the No. 1 seed for the medal round, meaning it’s one of the four teams that earned a bye into the quarterfinals.

The Americans will next take the ice Tuesday night (Wednesday afternoon in Beijing) and will face either Germany or Slovakia in the last eight of the tournament.

Here’s everything else you need to know about the U.S. team for the rest of the Winter Games.

Quarterfinal Broadcast Information

Date: Tuesday, Feb. 15

Start Time: 11:10 p.m. ET

TV: USA Network

Live Stream: Peacock, NBC Sports app and NBCOlympics.com

Preview, Predictions

When the United States cruised to an 8-0 win over China in its opening game of the 2022 Winter Olympics, it wasn’t much of a surprise. The host nation was expected to struggle against the strong competition it would face at the Games.

But the U.S. proved that it’s a legitimate medal contender with its wins over Canada and Germany. The Americans beat the former 4-2, as goaltender Strauss Mann recorded 35 saves in a strong overall performance. The 3-2 win over Germany saw the U.S. lead by two goals in the third period before holding on after a late push by the Germans.

The United States and Finland were the only teams to go 3-0 during the preliminary round, but the Finns needed overtime to win their game against Sweden. Even the Russian Olympic Committee (the pre-tournament favorite for the gold medal) lost a game, falling 6-5 to the Czech Republic in its final game of the preliminary round.

There’s a good chance that the United States’ quarterfinal contest will be a rematch against Germany, which is facing Slovakia in a qualification playoff. If the Americans were to that contest, they would leave Beijing without a medal despite their excellent play to this point.

That’s why the U.S. team isn’t resting on its laurels.

“We’re going to be hungry for our next game, and we’re going to attack our next game like it’s do or die because it really is,” goaltender Drew Commesso said, per Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press.

Although Germany played a close game against the U.S. in the preliminary round, don’t expect the Americans to lose to the Germans in the quarterfinals. The United States looks like the better team, and it should keep its momentum going to earn at least one more win.

The Americans are no guarantee to end up on the podium, though—especially because they could face either Canada or Sweden in the semifinals. And if the United States gets to the gold-medal game, expect either Finland or the Russian Olympic Committee to be on the other side.

It all means the Americans’ path to the gold isn’t easy, even if they keep up the form they have displayed since arriving in Beijing.

The prediction here is that the U.S. will fall short of winning the gold by losing in the semifinals. And it will be Canada that gets revenge and knocks the United States into the bronze-medal game. The Canadians have a solid team, and its only loss came against the U.S. They will be motivated to avenge that defeat will do so in another close contest.

However, the United States will bounce back to win the bronze. And considering nobody on the roster plays in the NHL and 15 players are in college, that should be seen as a success.

Prediction: United States loses in semifinals, wins bronze medal.