BEIJING — Building their roster around youth and speed paid off again with a victory for the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team.
A well-placed backhander by Brendan Brisson of Manhattan Beach and the University of Michigan held up as the decisive goal as the U.S. defeated Canada 4-2 in preliminary round play on Saturday at National Indoor Stadium. The Americans’ second goal was scored by Ben Meyers, a star at the University of Minnesota.
Brisson, a former L.A. Junior King, was drafted 29th by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2020 NHL draft. Fifteen members of the American team are still playing in college and the team is young, a contrast to the older squad that represented the U.S. at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and finished seventh. This is the second straight Olympic hockey tournament without NHL players.
Canada took an early lead on Saturday but the U.S. picked up the pace to pull even and surged ahead before the first period ended.
Mat Robinson scored for Canada 24 seconds into the game, surprising goaltender Strauss Mann with a quick shot that went between Mann’s pads. But U.S. team captain Andy Miele responded quickly, scoring when he lifted a backhander that Canada goalie Eddie Pasquale couldn’t reach.
The Americans took the lead at 18:44 of the period when Meyers finished off a nice passing play and scored from close range. Defenseman Jake Sanderson, who missed Team USA’s opener because he took a long time to clear COVID-19 protocols and couldn’t travel to Beijing with the team, began the play and got an assist in his Olympic debut.
Brisson, the son of influential agent Pat Brisson of the Creative Artists Agency, extended the Americans’ lead to 3-1 at 2:37 of the second period. Pasquale went behind his net to play the puck but lost it and former King Nick Shore pounced on it. Shore passed to Brisson, who finished off the play with a swift backhander.
Pasquale, 31, is a former Atlanta Thrashers draft pick who has been playing in Russia’s KHL.
Canada cut the U.S. lead to 3-2 at 14:13 of the second period, when Corban Knight finished off a two-on-one shorthanded break with a shot that zipped past Mann’s right shoulder. But Miele, with dogged work, set up Kenny Agostino for a shot from the high slot and a 4-2 lead at 6:13 of the third period.
Two late penalties put the U.S. down two men at 15:23 of the third period and Ducks prospect Mason McTavish hit the crossbar after the penalties had expired, but the Americans held on for the win.
