USA vs. Latvia time, channel, TV schedule to watch 2026 Olympic men's hockey game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. On Thursday, Team USA hockey begins its quest for gold, looking to bring home the medal for the first time since 1980.

The U.S. men's hockey team hasn't won an Olympic gold medal since the Miracle on Ice in 1980, but this year's team might just be capable of ending that drought. The Americans have brought their best roster ever to Italy,

Elvis Merzlikins, a star NHL goalie for the Columbus Blue Jackets, is set to represent Team Latvia at the Olympics. He faces a tough opener against Team USA. Merzlikins sees this as a significant personal challenge to showcase his skills on the world's biggest stage.

Take a look at the complete 2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey schedule for Team USA and others.

NHL players are back at the Olympics, and preliminary play opened with two contests in Milan. Here's how Day 1 went.

The NHL players compete in the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014, as the 2026 Men's Hockey Tournament is scheduled to start on February 11 in Milan. There will be 12 teams competing in the group stage,