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Team USA Olympic hockey win turns ugly as fans accuse players of snub


Daniel Lucente
Feb 16, 2026  (11:15)
Feb 14, 2026; Milan, Italy; Jaccob Slavin of United States and Brady Tkachuk of United States greet spectators at the end of the match against Denmark in men's ice hockey group C play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Team USA men’s hockey beat Denmark at the Winter Olympics, then got dragged hard for walking past fans like they weren’t there.

The U.S. took the game 6-3 in Milan on Saturday, February 14, 2026, after a shaky start and a louder finish.
They trailed early, settled in, and the talent gap showed once the legs got moving.
That should have been a clean feel good night.
Instead, the postgame clip became the story.
Mail Sport framed it bluntly, saying the USA men’s hockey team “completely” ignored fans after the win.
In the video, you can see why people are mad, because it reads like a hard left turn away from the glass.
Maybe it was a security lane, maybe it was tunnel protocol, maybe it was a missed cue.
But optics count at the Olympics, where fans pay for a once in a lifetime moment.

Auston Matthews and Team USA cannot look cold

You can feel the frustration online, because hockey already has a rep for being distant when it should be welcoming.
One viral reaction went nuclear and ugly, and it’s a reminder that fandom can spiral fast when players feel unreachable.
On the ice, the U.S. did its job and kept pace in the group race.
Brady Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, and Jake Guentzel were right in the middle of the pushback.
Now the next game matters even more, because the vibe around this room shifted in one clip.
A quick fan salute after the next win fixes a lot, and it costs nothing.
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Team USA Olympic hockey win turns ugly as fans accuse players of snub

Should Team USA men’s hockey make a point to salute and interact with fans after wins?


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