Draisaitl and Stutzle lead Germany to an Olympic opening win

Germany defeated Denmark 3–1 in its opening Olympic men’s hockey group C game. Leon Draisaitl contributed a goal and an assist, while Tim Stutzle scored twice in the first Olympic meeting between the two national teams in the competition.

Captain Draisaitl set the tone by scoring twenty-three seconds after the opening faceoff. He also took thirty of Germany’s sixty-eight faceoffs, supporting a performance in which the Germans did not receive a penalty and defended effectively when Denmark sought a response.

Both countries prepared for further preliminary games against Latvia and the United States respectively. German players welcomed a positive start despite a match interrupted by frequent whistles, while Denmark recognised Draisaitl’s influence and identified lessons to carry into the remainder of its group schedule.