![Feb 17, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Brock Nelson (29) shoots the puck wide of Team Sweden goalie Samuel Ersson (30) during the third period in a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_1614,y_807,w_1968,h_1107/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/108/01kh9xab71gkg6msz2zh.jpg "Feb 17, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Brock Nelson (29) shoots the puck wide of Team Sweden goalie Samuel Ersson (30) during the third period in a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images")
Colorado Avalanche forward Brock Nelson honored his family legacy by scoring a beauty in the United States’ game against Latvia on Thursday evening.
Nelson scored midway through the second period to break a 1-1 tie. Nelson took a nifty pass from Jack Hughes in the slot and slid the puck past Latvian netminder Elvis Merzlikins. Vincent Trocheck notched the other assist.
For Nelson, scoring was a relief after being offside in an earlier disallowed goal. But beyond giving Team USA the lead, the Avalanche star followed in the footsteps of his uncle Dave Christian, who was a member of the 1980 Miracle on Ice team that won gold.
Nelson added his second of the night at the end of the second period to bust the game open for Team USA. The tally came on a brilliant 2-on-1 play.
Now, Nelson will be looking to follow, not just in his uncle’s footsteps, but also his grandfather’s. Nelson’s grandfather, Bill Chrisitan was a member of the 1960 Team USA side that won the gold medal a Squaw Valley.
46 years after the Miracle on Ice, Nelson will be looking to etch his name in hockey immortality. There’s still plenty of hockey to play at the 2026 Winter Olympics. So, Avalanche fans should stay tuned.
Nelson follows fellow Avalanche star’s Olympic prowess
Brock Nelson wasn’t the only Colorado Avalanche star to get on the scoresheet on Thursday. Nathan MacKinnon got his first of the tournament in Team Canada’s 5-0 rout of Czechia earlier in the day.
MacKinnon scored a power play at the 7:42 mark of the third period to pull away for good. Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby assisted on the goal by MacKinnon.
MacKinnon scored four goals at the 4 Nations Face-Off last season to cement his claim on tournament MVP honors. This year, MacKinnon continues his dominance.
Cale Makar also notched an assist on Canada’s first goal, scored by 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini. Makar played a total of 18:51, with Devon Toews topping him with 19:08 of ice time on the night.
All told, Nelson, MacKinnon, and Makar have shown why they are the best among the best at Milano-Cortina.