It has become customary to watch NHL players in the Olympics. Since the 1998 Nagano Games, the world's best hockey players meet every four years in the ultimate display of national pride and for international bragging rights. The Olympic tournament has united nations and vindicated others torn apart.
This time, it's a group of underdogs that will attempt to write another chapter into USA Hockey lore.
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In the absence of the NHL, which chose not to send players to Pyeongchang, the U.S. men's national team is comprised of outcasts. Many spent stints in the NHL — five games here, 10 more there — before turning to a journeyman career in European leagues. In four cases, players were pulled from their NCAA teams and classes to compete for their country, hearkening to the most famous of U.S. Olympic triumphs: the 1980 "Miracle on Ice."
“To win, we don’t need a miracle,” Team USA head coach Tony Granato said. “We need to be our best and play our best.”
Granato, a longtime coach in the U.S. National Development Program, himself departed his job at the University Wisconsin to lead the Americans, who hold the sixth-best odds (10-1) to win their first gold medal since that 1980 team. That's a longshot compared to USA's usual powerhouse status. Instead of Patrick Kane and Auston Matthews, the U.S. is led by captain Brian Gionta and a cast of former NHLers, including Chris Bourque, Mark Arcobello and James Wisniewski among them.
MORE: How the 2018 Olympics might've looked with NHL players
The Olympic Athletes from Russia contingent, assembled despite the country's doping ban from the 2018 Games, is favored to win the tournament and represent the U.S.'s toughest opponent in group play. The other two members of Group B are Slovakia and Slovenia, the United States' first opponent. All 12 teams advance to the single-elimination portion of the tournament, but group play determines seeding; the winner of each group, plus the highest ranking runner-up, earn a first-round bye.
Slovenia, playing in its second Olympic hockey tournament ever, boasts just one player with NHL experience: forward Jan Mursak.
Granato kept Team USA's starting goalie under wraps much of a lead-up to the Games, but on Tuesday gave Ryan Zapolski the nod in net for the opener. Zapolski, 31, has appeared in 38 games with Jokerit of the KHL this season, sporting a 1.73 goals-against average and .932 save percentage.
Sporting News has live scoring updates and highlights for the opener. Follow along. (All times Eastern.)
MORE: Watch the Olympics live and on-demand with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
USA vs. Slovenia live score updates
Second period
First period
Shots on goal: USA 11, Slovenia 4
7:42 — That'll do it for the first period. O'Neill's late goal is something for the Americans to build on in the second. Even though the U.S. holds an 11-4 shot total, Slovenia skated with them much of the period and, lest we forget, this one could be tied right now.
7:38 — GOAL. Brian O'Neill from Garrett Roe and Ryan Donato. USA leads Slovenia 1-0 17:44 in.
7:32 — USA gets a power play as Slovenia's Marcel Rodman goes off for tripping with 5:42 left in the first.
7:25 — USA caught a big break. A Noah Welch turnover left Ryan Zapolski out to dry and the U.S. net wide open, but Welch makes up for it by lunging in front of the yawning crease to make the save on a sure goal.
HOW DID THAT NOT GO IN 😱 pic.twitter.com/udGDj2b4K1
— Olympic Hockey on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) February 14, 2018
7:23 — The power play barely lasted one shift. James Wisniewski goes off for high-sticking and we're four aside.
7:22 — USA is going on the power play 9:44 into the first period. Americans have four shots compared to Slovenia's one so far.
7:10 — Here. We. Go.
7:09 — Brian Gionta-Jordan Greenway-Ryan Stoa up front and Noah Welch-Matt Gilroy on defense to start for the U.S. Ryan Zapolski in goal.
Pregame
6:35 a.m. ET — USA and Slovenia have taken the ice for warmups. Here are the full starting lineups.
Here's the #TeamUSA lineup for its matchup with Slovenia. #WinterOlympics
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 14, 2018
Puck drops at 7:10amET on @NBCSN. Stream → https://t.co/Y3K5HlECDx pic.twitter.com/HdMr82PXq8
Full lineups for #teamUSA-Slovenia pic.twitter.com/KwAnRjNU3u
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) February 14, 2018
Time: 7:10 a.m. ET
Location: Kwandong Hockey Centre
TV: NBCSN
Streaming: fuboTV (sign up for a 7-day free trial)
Related links
Wishful thinking: How the 2018 Olympics might've looked with NHL players
The unlikely Olympic journey of John McCarthy, Team USA's ultimate outlier
Chris Bourque exits famous father's shadow to realize own Olympic dream
U.S. Olympian Bobby Butler shares the story behind viral moment with dad