Stars were on full display in Team Canada’s first win of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, including Oilers captain Connor McDavid who tied the country’s record for most assists in a game at an Olympics involving NHL players.
* Avalanche forward Brock Nelson, who owns a deep family history at the Winter Olympics, netted the game-winning goal and two sets of brothers also found the score sheet as part of Team USA’s tournament-opening win.
* Three of four contests between Team Finland and Team Sweden at Winter Olympic Games featuring NHL players have concluded as one-goal outings and now the longstanding rivalry renews with Group B action on Friday.
STARS SHINE FOR TEAM CANADA IN OPENING GAME AT MILANO CORTINA 2026
Veterans and young stars alike led the way in Team Canada’s opening game as Connor McDavid (0-3—3), Sidney Crosby (0-2—2), Nathan MacKinnon (1-0—1) and Macklin Celebrini (1-0—1) found the score sheet in Canada’s 11th straight win at Olympics Games involving NHL players. Celebrini (19 years, 244 days), who scored 19:54 into his Olympic debut, became the first teenager with a game-winning goal in an Olympic tournament with NHL participation.
* McDavid tied the Team Canada record for most assists in a game at an Olympics involving NHL players. The Oilers captain and Avalanche forward MacKinnon, who rank first and second in NHL scoring at the Olympic break, along with Penguins captain Crosby combined for a power-play goal exactly one year after doing so for Team Canada just 56 seconds into their contest against Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
* Celebrini became the seventh teenager to record a point in an Olympics with NHL players, and the first Canadian on that list. The Sharks forward also became the fourth teenager to score a goal in their first-ever Olympic period at a tournament with NHL players, following Olli Määttä (Feb. 13, 2014 w/ FIN), Ilya Kovalchuk (Feb. 15, 2002 w/ RUS) and Oliver Setzinger (Feb. 9, 2002 w/ AUT).
* Crosby (38 years, 189 days) became the oldest player to record a point for Team Canada at an Olympics with NHL participation, surpassing Ray Bourque (37 years, 52 days on Feb 18, 1998). The Penguins captain also became the seventh skater to record 10 or more career points with Team Canada at Olympic Games involving NHL players.
* Jordan Binnington stopped all 26 shots he faced and became the fourth Team Canada goaltender to record a shutout in an Olympic game involving NHL players. Team Canada has played 224:19 since its last goal against in Olympic competition with NHL players – the longest streak by any team.
FAMILY TIES IN FULL FORCE IN TEAM USA’S TOURNAMENT-OPENING WIN
Avalanche forward Brock Nelson (2-0—2), brothers Quinn (0-2—2) and Jack Hughes (0-2—2) as well as Brady (1-0—1) and Matthew Tkachuk (0-2—2) ignited a Team USA offense that scored at least five goals in an Olympic Winter Games tournament opener that featured NHL players for the third time (7 in 2014 & 6 in 2002).
* Nelson, who netted the game-winning goal and became the ninth different American to score multiple goals in a single period in an Olympic game with NHL players (last: Phil Kessel on Feb. 16, 2014), owns deep family roots to the Winter Olympics. His grandfather, Bill Christian, potted 2-11—13 (7 GP) en route to a gold medal with the United States at the 1960 Winter Olympics, while his uncle, Dave Christian, notched 0-8—8 (7 GP) for the “Miracle On Ice” group that won gold at the 1980 Winter Olympics.
* Senators captain Brady and Panthers forward Matthew combined on the first of five Team USA goals and became the fourth set of brothers to factor on the same tally in an Olympic game involving NHL players. The others: Daniel and Henrik Sedin (5x; last: Feb. 19, 2010 w/ SWE), Jorgen and Kenny Jonsson (Feb. 24, 2006 w/ SWE), Marian and Marcel Hossa (Feb. 18, 2010 w/ SVK) as well as Marcel and David Rodman (Feb. 16, 2014 w/ SLO).
* Jack collected both his assists in the second period. The Devils forward tied the American benchmark for assists in a period during an Olympic Games featuring NHL players, last accomplished by Ryan Suter (0-2—2 in P1; Feb. 19, 2014).
STUTZLE, DRAISAITL POWER TEAM GERMANY TO VICTORY
Senators forward Tim Stützle (2-0—2) and Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (1-1—2) led Team Germany’s tournament-opening game with two points apiece and helped their country secure its first win at an Olympic Winter Games with NHL players since Feb. 12, 2002 (vs. LAT).
* Draisaitl opened the scoring just 23 seconds into the contest and netted the third-fastest goal to start an Olympic game involving NHL players, behind Jozef Stumpel (0:11 vs. LAT, 2002) and Dmitri Pankov (0:20 vs. USA, 2002). Draisaitl played in his first Olympic game and followed in his father’s footsteps. Peter participated in the 1998 Olympics with NHL players and led Team Germany (tied) with four points in four games (2-2—4).
* Stützle, whose first goal finished as the game winner, became just the second German player to score two goals in an Olympic game featuring NHL players (also Jan Benda, 2 on Feb. 12, 1998). He also became the second German player representing an NHL team to score a game-winning goal, following Uwe Krupp (Feb. 12, 1998 w/ COL).
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MEIER PUTS UP MULTI-GOAL GAME TO HELP TEAM SWITZERLAND START OLYMPICS 1-0
Devils forward Timo Meier (2-0—2) scored two of Team Switzerland’s four goals as they earned a shutout win in their opening contest of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. It marked the fourth shutout by Team Switzerland in Olympics with NHL players (2014 vs. LAT & CZE, 2006 vs. CAN).
* Meier scored twice in the third period and became the first Swiss NHL player with multiple goals in a single period in an Olympic game involving NHL players. He also became the first NHL player with a multi-goal period in the Olympics since Carl Hagelin tallied twice for Team Sweden in the third period against Slovenia on Feb. 19 in the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Tim Stützle (Team Germany) and Brock Nelson (Team USA) later joined the Swiss forward with a multi-goal period against Denmark and Latvia, respectively.
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OLYMPICS STATS LINKS
* 2026 Statistics: Skaters / Goaltenders
* 2026 Rosters (and Statistics)
* 2026 Format and Results
QUICK CLICKS
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FRIDAY’S SLATE INCLUDES SWEDEN-FINLAND RIVALRY ON DISPLAY
The third day of men’s hockey at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will feature a Nordic matchup in Group B between Finland and Sweden, nearly a full year since the two bordering countries met in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Team Sweden is looking to improve to 2-0-0 in the tournament, while Team Finland eyes its first win.
* Nearly a year ago on Feb. 15, 2025, Finland and Sweden met in Montreal during a round robin matchup for the 4 Nations Face-Off where Ducks forward Mikael Granlund scored the overtime winner in a 4-3 victory for Team Finland. A total of 31 players (16 FIN & 15 SWE) who dressed in the contest also played in each team’s opening game of the 2026 Olympics.
* Eeli Tolvanen (SEA) was the lone Finnish skater to find the back of the net in their opening game Wednesday. Tolvanen is appearing in his second Olympics after finishing tied for second in tournament scoring in 2018 (3-6—9 in 5 GP). He can become the fourth Finnish player to score in each of his first two games in an Olympics involving NHL players – the only ones to do so to date: Teemu Selanne (4 GP in 2006), Olli Määttä (2 GP in 2014) and Jarkko Ruutu (2 GP in 2010).
* Rasmus Dahlin (BUF) enters the second game after having tallied three assists in Team Sweden’s opener against Italy. Dahlin can become the first Swedish player to begin an Olympics involving NHL players with multiple points in each of their first two games and the sixth to record consecutive multi-point outings at anytime in the tournament. He would join Erik Karlsson (2 GP in 2014), Daniel Alfredsson (2 GP twice in 2006), Mats Sundin (2 GP in 2002) and Nicklas Lidstrom (2 GP in 2002).