Brady Tkachuk Reacts to USA's Wild Win in Olympic Hockey Group Play as Bracket Picture Takes Shape

Brady Tkachuk feels he and the United States men's hockey team are "just scratching" the surface of their potential after a 6-3 win over Denmark on Saturday during the group stage of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.

"That's what's good about our group," Tkachuk said Saturday, per The Athletic's Mark Lazerus. "We're just scratching at it right now, and it's going to work out that we're going to peak at the right time."

The Americans have one group stage game against Germany left on Sunday before the knockout round begins next week.

Here's a look at the men's hockey standings heading into the final day of group play.

Whether teams advance directly to the knockout round or need to participation in a qualification playoff round to get there is based on group standings, determined by points with goal differential as a tiebreaker.

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Group A

1. Canada: 2-0, 6 points (+9 goal differential) — clinched quarterfinals
2. Switzerland: 1-1, 3 points (0 GD)
3. Czechia: 1-1, 3 points (-2 GD)
4. France: 0-2, 0 points (-7 GD) — clinched qualification playoffs

Group B

1. Slovakia: 2-1, 6 points (+2 GD) — clinched quarterfinals
2. Finland: 2-1, 6 points (+11 GD)
3. Sweden: 2-1, 6 points (+2 GD) — clinched qualifcation playoffs
4. Italy: 0-3, 0 points (-15 GD) — clinched qualification playoffs

Group C

1. United States: 2-0, 6 points (+7 GD)
2. Latvia: 1-1, 3 points (-3 GD)
3. Germany: 1-1, 3 points (+1 GD)
4. Denmark: 0-2, 0 points (-5 GD) — clinched qualification playoffs

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The biggest risk for the United States' hopes of clinching a quarterfinals berth Sunday might be a regulation loss to Leon Draisaitl and Germany on Sunday, combined with a blowout win by Latvia over Denmark.

Latvia is coming off an upset win over Germany, and Denmark sits at the bottom of the group with a minus-5 goal differential.

With a win over Germany, the United States will clinch a trip to the quarterfinals and come one step closer to the first Olympic medal for the men's team since a silver in 2010.

Advancing that far could take more consistency than Team USA showed Saturday against Denmark, during which a flat first period led to the heavily-favored Americans facing a 2-1 deficit heading into the break.

Tkachuk scored the tying goal midway through the second frame, the first of three straight American goals that kept the team undefeated in group play.

Team USA will look to ride the momentum of that comeback victory into the conclusion of group play against Germany on Sunday at 3:10 p.m. ET.