Published Feb 13, 3:23am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Feb 13, 3:23am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated Feb 13, 4:20am ET
Competitive action from Group C at the Winter Olympics is set for Feb 14, as Denmark bid to upset the odds against the USA at PalaItalia.
The U.S. made an electric start in the group after landing a dominant 5-1 win on opening night against Latvia. A second straight victory will likely secure a spot in the top two.
Demark battled hard in their opener against Germany, but they lacked the offensive quality to trouble their rivals, eventually losing 3-1.
The USA’s hunt for a first Winter Olympic gold medal since 1980 started on Thursday with a routine victory over Latvia in Milan.
However, their win wasn’t without teething problems, as the U.S. started incredibly slow against the minnows. After being held to a 1-1 draw in the opening frame, the U.S. powered clear in the second. Brock Nelson scored the second goal, contributing two efforts overall in the comfortable win.
Elvis Merzlikins added a third, before Tage Thompson also scored in a power play. Bigger challenges are likely ahead, but the signs look promising.
Denmark will be major outsiders to cause an upset in the second round of games. For a long period, they looked competitive against Germany in Milan on Thursday, but the Germans cruised into top gear to ensure that they landed a dominant 3-1 win.
NHL stars Tim Stutzle and Leon Draisaitl were ultimately the key figures in the win, showing exactly what the Danes lack on the ice.
Frederik Andersen performed to his consistently high standards, but he was ultimately helpless in the defeat. Oscar Molgaard of the Seattle Kraken scored the only goal in the loss for Denmark.
| TOTAL | USA | Denmark | DRAWS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WINS | 9 | 8 | 1 | - |
| GOALS | 47 | 39 | 8 |
Denmark have won just one of their nine head-to-head clashes with the USA, and that weak record is unlikely to improve this weekend. The U.S. may have been slow to warm up on matchday one, but a quicker start is likely to give them a big win over the Danes.
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USA
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