By Janina Nuno Rios and Amy Tennery
MILAN, Feb 14 (Reuters) – The United States have yet to live up to their full potential on a tight timeline to reach the Olympic podium in Milan but forward Brady Tkachuk assured fans the men’s ice hockey medal contenders would find their rhythm.
Widely seen as the likeliest challengers to powerhouse Canada, the all-NHL American team overcame Denmark 6-3 in a surprisingly close Group C contest at Santagiulia Arena on Saturday, coming back from a 2-1 deficit after the first period.
The United States, who beat Latvia 5-1 in their Thursday opener, play Germany while Denmark play Latvia on Sunday in the final two Group C games.
“It’s one of those quick tournaments that you kind of have to find it quick and I think that’s what’s good about our group, we’re just kind of scratching at it right now and it’s going to work out that we’re going to peak at the right time,” predicted Tkachuk, whose goal early in the second period helped spark the U.S. fight back.
“(We’re) finding chemistry and building off that,” added Tkachuk, who plays for the National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators and is part of two sets of brothers on the U.S. Olympic squad.
The contest on Saturday opened with a perplexing miss by U.S. goalie Jeremy Swayman, who lost track of the puck as it slipped by him early in the first period. But the Boston Bruins netminder said he never lost the support of his team mates.
“The confidence didn’t waver – didn’t waver with myself, didn’t waver with anyone on the team. That’s why this is such an elite group,” he told reporters. “I think it’s good to go through adversity. You don’t want to, but it’s good.”
(Reporting by Amy Tennery and Janina Nuno Rios in Milan; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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