Published Feb 10, 4:48am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Feb 10, 4:48am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated Feb 10, 4:48am ET
The USA will begin their hunt for gold at the Winter Olympics in Milan on Feb 12 when the nation takes on Latvia. Find the odds and picks here.
Mike Sullivan will be tasked with guiding a talented USA squad full of NHL quality in this year’s Winter Olympics, as the nation bids for just a third gold medal.
Latvia will be heavily unfavored to cause a major upset on matchday one in Group C, but they could yet join the U.S. in the next round if they gain positive results against later clashes with Germany and Denmark.
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|
|---|---|
| Latvia | +1450 |
| USA | -2800 |
Progress has been made by Latvia in the world of hockey in recent history, achieving their best ever finish at the World Championships in 2023 after taking bronze.
But, Harijs Vitolins’ team will still be massively overlooked in their pursuit of a first Olympic medal in 2026. Latvia first competed in the Olympics in 1936, with their best showing coming in 2014 when finishing eighth. Overall, in 25 games at the event, the nation have recorded just three wins.
Unlike the U.S., Latvia only have a handful of NHL-quality players within their roster, including Rodrigo Abols of the Philadelphia Flyers and Teddy Blueger of the Vancouver Canucks.
Due to the pause in play in the NHL, a world-class roster will be representing the USA at the Winter Olympics.
The nation is yet to showcase their true talent in the Games since winning gold in 1980, with their best showing since winning silver in 2010. However, the U.S. have put extra emphasis on national success in recent years, most notably last year when winning a first World Championship gold since 1960.
At the very least, this deep U.S. roster should outperform the team's results from the last two Olympics, which suffered quarterfinal knockouts in 2022 and 2018.
| TOTAL | Latvia | USA | DRAWS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WINS | 13 | 2 | 11 | - |
| GOALS | 82 | 30 | 52 |
The USA boast a 77% win rate against Latvia in international clashes, and that advantage is expected to improve on Thursday. A deep roster bursting with attacking quality includes world-class players such as Auston Matthews and Jake Guentzel. Therefore, the Americans may flex their muscles and cover the -3.5 spread this week.
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Pick
USA (-3.5)
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