Team USA Destroys China in 2022 Olympics Men’s Hockey Opener
The first men’s hockey game in the history of the Olympics in China did not go well.
Team USA beat the Chinese, 8-0, in each team’s first game at the 2022 Olympics in a dominating performance that got out of hand early on.
Sean Farrell, who plays at Harvard and was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 2020, had a hat trick and added two assists. Brendan Brisson, Noah Cates, Brian O’Neill, Ben Meyers and Matty Beniers — who was drafted second overall by the Seattle Kraken in 2021 — added goals.
China – whose team was largely made up of Americans and Canadians who had played in the host country of the Olympics at one point – had the chance to score their first goal late in the third period in power play, but was turned down by a 19-year-old player. Blackhawks prospect Drew Commesso.
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On the other side, Chinese goaltender Jeremy Smith – who made appearances with the Colorado Avalanche in the 2016-17 season before joining Chinese KHL team Kunlun Red Stars – has been upgraded from the jump, allowing eight goals on 55 shots.
The United States was originally expected to have NHL players on its Olympic roster, though COVID-19 forced the league to pull out at the last minute. So far, however, their services have not been needed.
