During a thrilling showdown at the Winter Olympics, Team USA made a remarkable comeback against Denmark in men’s hockey, securing a 6-3 victory. Amidst the excitement, two fans took a stand, quite literally, by raising the flag of Greenland in protest of former President Donald Trump’s well-publicized ambition to acquire the territory for the United States.
The flag was enthusiastically displayed after Denmark struck first with an early goal, setting the tone for a spirited match. However, Team USA rallied brilliantly, coming from behind to clinch the win.
Vita Kalniņa and her husband, Alexander Kalniņš, both fans of the Latvian hockey team residing in Germany, proudly held up a sizable Greenland flag during warm-ups and again after Denmark scored its opening goal. “We are Europeans, and as Europeans, we must hold together,” Kalniņš remarked in a conversation with The Associated Press. “The Greenlandic people should decide their own future, but currently, Greenland is part of the Danish kingdom. In this context, we support both Denmark and Greenland against the US.”
The sentiments echoed in the stands. Danish fan Dennis Petersen insisted that sports should remain apolitical. “It doesn’t matter what the sport is—be it tennis, bobsledding, or ice hockey—it’s about the athletes, not the politicians.”
As Team USA celebrated, American attendees shared their thoughts on social media regarding both the game and the flag display. One fan humorously mused, “Now that the USA is up 4-2, could we place a wager that if the USA wins, Denmark gives up Greenland?” Another added, “Team USA won—do we get Greenland now?”
Some conservative influencers in the U.S. leveraged the victory to make viral quips about annexing Greenland, using humor to air their political perspective.
In the early stages of the match, uncertainty loomed for the Americans who found themselves down 2-1 after the first period. But a dynamic second period saw them score three unanswered goals, with contributions from stars including Brady Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, and Noah Hanifin. Each brought their prowess to the ice and showcased the depth of talent on the roster.
Both sets of brothers on the team—Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, along with Jack and Quinn Hughes—each logged a point in the contest, and a remarkable fourteen players had points for Team USA, reflecting a collaborative offensive effort. The Americans outshot Denmark 47 to 21, demonstrating their dominance on the ice.
The U.S. will conclude preliminary play on Sunday against Germany at 3:10 PM ET. As heavy favorites, a win would propel them into the knockout stage, though they could still advance even with an overtime loss. A regulation defeat, however, would leave their fate hanging in the balance with other teams’ performances complicating the standings.
With the odds stacked in their favor against the German squad, which features just eight NHL players, Team USA appears poised for further success at these Olympics.
