By: Ryan Bosworth | Follow me on Twitter / X @RyanJBosworth
The 2026 Winter Olympics are in full swing as the United States’ hockey team squared off with Denmark earlier today. They won their first game of the tournament over Latvia, 5-1, on Thursday afternoon.
Connor Hellebuyck, who started in every one of the four games from Team USA’s 4Nations Face-Off tournament last year, started against Latvia. Today, Bruins’ number one goaltender Jeremy Swayman got the nod, after backing up Hellebuyck on Thursday.
Swayman’s first Olympic start didn’t quite go as expected, despite the United States defeating Denmark 6-3.
Swayman surrendered the first goal of the game early, as Denmark scored at just 1:40 of the first period. Nick Olesen is able to sneak one through Swayman, who was falling to his back in the crease. In the hole early, Team USA needed a response, and they got one.
Matt Boldy responds with a wrap-around goal at just 3:35 of the first, knotting things at one apiece early in this tilt. Less than 10 minutes later, Swayman allows arguably the weakest goal of his entire career, as Nicholas B. Jensen scores from just inside the red line.
It looked like the perfect combination of getting lost in the color of the boards and Swayman losing sight of how the puck was tracking. With just four shots on goal, Denmark had taken a lead of 2-1.
Team USA would go on to score three unanswered goals in the second period, before Swayman would allow his third, and final, goal of the game. Phillip Brugisser scores with just 3 seconds remaining in the middle frame, bringing Denmark in within just one goal.
Swayman would go on to post a perfect third period, but the entire game as a whole would be one that Swayman will want to move on from and use as a learning experience.
While surrendering three goals on 21 shots isn’t egregious, it certainly isn’t up to par with Swayman’s standards this season, as he posted a save percentage of .857% today, and his season average in the National Hockey League is .903%.
During post-game interviews, both Swayman and Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan were asked about today’s game and the netminder’s play.
Swayman, when asked about the goal allowed from center ice, responded with, “It was a flash screen. It was just the perfect height, right between that stands and board level. I truly lost it… No matter how they go in, you have to step up and stop the next one.” He was then asked if “it was the dark boards,” to which he answered, “I’m colorblind, so it doesn’t matter to me.”
When Mike Sullivan was asked if he considered pulling Swayman to put in Hellebuyck, he kept it short and simple, answering, “No.”
Today wasn’t a perfect day for Jeremy Swayman, by any metric. However, Team USA still walks away with a win, and Swayman gets a newfound experience that’s hard to come by. Starting for Team USA in the Olympics is not small feat, despite allowing a couple of goals that he’ll want back.
The U.S. is back in action tomorrow, squaring off with Germany in the final preliminary game at 3:10 p.m. EST.
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