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The initial Team USA lines at Olympics practice
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- The initial Team USA lines at Olympics practice
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NHL stars are back in the Olympics, and Team USA is looking for its third gold medal in the history of the event. Last year, they lost to Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off and are now looking for revenge. Team USA practiced on Monday morning, unveiling the lines they will use to start the Olympics.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas were at the practice and confirmed that the top two lines were the same as the day before. Jack Eichel is centering the Tkachuk brothers, who are also roommates in the village . And Team USA captain Auston Matthews is between Jake Guentzel and Matt Boldy . All six of those players were at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
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Eichel and the Tkachuk 's was the top line for the 4 Nations until Matthews' injury. Both Tkachuk brothers became stars at that tournament while Eichel was a quiet leader in the middle.
On Sunday, there were no set lines for the bottom six. On Monday, Dylan Larkin centered Kyle Connor and Tage Thompson . Connor was scratched for the 4 Nations title game, a decision that was maligned at the time, and Thompson is a new addition to the team. Brock Nelson and Vincent Trocheck rotated in as the 4th line center with JT Miller and Jack Hughes . Clayton Keller is the extra forward.
Jack Hughes was higher in the lineup at 4 Nations and is coming off an injury that held him out of the Devils' most recent games. Hughes was quiet in the 4 Nations, but he could turn his fates in the Olympics.
Mike Sullivan is the Team USA coach and leads the New York Rangers . Both of the Rangers players on the team, Trocheck and Miller, are not popular picks among fans due to a lack of offense. They are currently stapled to the fourth line, which is not where Jason Robertson or Cole Caufield would be playing.
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Team USA is strong on defense as well
Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
On defense, a change has come from the Sunday practice. Noah Hanifin of the Vegas Golden Knights was listed ahead of Ottawa Senators defender Jake Sanderson on the depth chart. But Sanderson joined the third pair with Zach Werenski on Monday. The top two pairs remain the same, with Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy at the top and Jaccob Slavin and Brock Faber in second. Hanifin is on the extra pair with Jackson LaCombe .
To no one's surprise, defending Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck will be the lead goalie. Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman may play due to the length of the tournament, however.
Related: Jack Eichel sees Step Brothers future for Tkachuks as Olympic roommates
Related: Breezy Johnson reacts to Lindsey Vonn's brutal injury after following in her Olympic gold footsteps
