BEIJING 鈥� After a bit of a slow start, the U.S. men's Olympic hockey team scored seven goals in the last two periods to beat China 8-0 in a Group A preliminary round game at National Indoor Stadium on Thursday.
Sean Farrell, a sophomore from Harvard, had a big game for the Americans with three goals and two assists. Farrell, a 20-year-old from Hopkinton, Mass., had a goal and an assist in the second period and two goals and an assist in the third period for Team USA. It is the first hat trick at the Olympics for an American male since Phil Kessel in 2014.
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Have a day, ! 馃毃
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics)
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The college players on the U.S. roster played a big role in the win.
Michigan sophomore forward Bredan Brisson, Minnesota Duluth senior forward Noah Cates, Gophers junior forward Ben Meyers, Michigan sophomore Matty Beniers and former Yale forward Brian O'Neill all had goals for the Americans.
JUST ENJOY THIS PASS, WHAT A BEAUTY! 馃毃
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Meyers, a 23-year-old from Delano, also had two assists in the game. Matthew Knies, a freshman forward for the Gophers, and Brock Faber, a sophomore defenseman for the Gophers, had assists in the game for Team USA.
MATTY BENIERS IS A BAD MAN! 馃ザ馃毃馃嚭馃嚫 |
— Olympic Hockey on NBC (@NBCSportsHockey)
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Drew Commesso, a sophomore at Boston University, made 29 saves for the Americans. At 19, Commessso is the youngest goalie to start an Olympic game for the men's team.
Jeremy Smith made 47 saves for China, which is participating in Olympic hockey for the first time.
Team USA led 1-0 after the first period with Brisson, a 20-year-old from Manhattan Beach, Calif., picking up a power-play goal at 10:38. The Americans led 4-0 after the second period after goals by Cates (5:32), O'Neill (11:13) and Farrell (18:07). Farrell added Team USA's first and last goals of the third period to complete the hat trick.
WE'VE GOT A HAT TRICK! gives an 8-0 lead and a hatty. 馃帺
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics)
Team USA is likely to get a much tougher test in its next game. The Americans play Canada at 10:10 p.m. Friday. Canada beat Germany 5-1 in its first game of the preliminary round.
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1/Team United States forward Noah Cates (27) celebrates with teammates including Nick Perbix (6) and Brian Cooper (23) after scoring a goal against Team China during the second period during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium. Cates is a 23-year-old from Stillwater, is a senior captain at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
George Walker IV / USA TODAY Sports
2/Team United States forward Noah Cates (27) celebrates with teammates including Nick Perbix (6) and Brian Cooper (23) after scoring a goal against Team China during the second period during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium. Cates is a 23-year-old from Stillwater, is a senior captain at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
George Walker IV / USA TODAY Sports
3/Team United States forward Noah Cates (27) and Team China defender Enlai Zheng (77) battle for the puck during the first period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA TODAY Sports
4/Team United States forward Kenny Agostino (11) skates with the puck as Team China defender Kailiaosi Jieke (7) defends during the first period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
5/Team United States forward Andy Miele (51) talks with Team United States defenseman Justin Abdelkater (89) during warmups prior to the game Thursday, Feb. 10 against Team China during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
6/Team United States forward Matt Knies (67) and Team China forward Taile Wang (91) battle for the puck during the first period during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA TODAY Sports
7/Team United States forward Brendan Brisson (19) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal Thursday, Feb. 10 against Team China during the first period during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA TODAY Sports
8/Team China defender Junjie Yuan (93) skates with the puck as Team United States forward Kenny Agostino (11) dives during the first period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
9/Team United States forward Brian O'Neill (21) passes the puck as Team China defender Jie Liu (2) defends during the first period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
10/Team United States fans cheer in the stands against Team China during the second period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA TODAY Sports
11/Fans watch the game between Team United States and Team China during the second period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA TODAY Sports
12/Team United States defender Brock Faber (14) skates with the puck as Team China forward Taile Wang (91) defends during the second period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
13/Team United States forward Noah Cates (27) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Team China during the second period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA TODAY Sports
14/Team United States forward Kenny Agostino (11) passes the puck against Team China during the second period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
15/Team United States forward Andy Miele (51) and Team China forward Jia Luo (20) battle for the puck during the second period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
16/Team United States forward Andy Miele (51) looks on as Team United States forward Brian O'Neill (21) scores a goal on Team China goalkeeper Shimisi Jieruimi (45) during the second period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
17/Team United States forward Nick Abruzzese (16) skates with the puck as Team China defender Kailiaosi Jieke (7) defends during the second period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
18/Team United States forward Matt Knies (67) and Team China defender Kailiaosi Jieke (7) battle for the puck during the second period during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
19/Team United States forward Nick Abruzzese (16) skates with the puck past Team China forward Shuai Fu (22) during the second period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
20/Noah Cates (27) of the United States celebrates scoring the Americans' second goal with teammates Sean Farrell (26) and Ben Meyers (39). Farrell, a freshman from Harvard, had three goals and two assists and Meyers added a goal for Team USA in an 8-0 win over China in an Olympic men's hockey Group A preliminary round game on Feb. 10, 2022, at National Indoor Stadium, Beijing, China
Annegret Hilse / Reuters
21/Team United States defender David Warsofsky (5) shoots the puck as Team China forward An Jian (47) defends during the second period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
22/Team United States forward Matty Beniers (10) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal Thursday, Feb. 10 against Team China during the third period during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
23/Team United States forward Brian Oneill (21) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Team China during the second period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
24/Team United States defender Brock Faber (14) shoots the puck against Team China during the third period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
25/Team United States forward Andy Miele (51) checks Team China defender Junjie Yuan (93) during the second period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
26/Team United States forward Matty Beniers (10) passes the puck as Team China defender Jie Liu (2) defends during the third period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
27/Team United States forward Sean Farrell (26) celebrates teammates after scoring a goal against Team China during the third period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA TODAY Sports
28/Team United States forward Matty Beniers (10) skates with the puck as Team China defender Enlai Zheng (77) defends during the third period Thursday, Feb. 10 during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at National Indoor Stadium.
George Walker IV / USA Today Sports
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