Zach Werenski is an Olympic goal scorer.
The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman found the back of the net Sunday, scoring the first of five goals for Team USA in their 5-1 win over Germany.
The win concluded a perfect, 3-0-0-0 round-robin stage for the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy.
Werenski's goal came in the closing seconds of the first period. With the game tied at 0-0, Werenski took a pass from captain Auston Matthews and fired it from the faceoff dot, beating Germany goaltender Maximilian Franzreb to make it a 1-0 game.
Zach Werenski WIRES it and its 1-0 red, white, and blue. #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/VTD0OoISNE
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 15, 2026
Despite the perfect opening round, the United States will be the two seed when the elimination games start Tuesday. Canada, who also went 3-0-0-0, had a better goal differential in the round-robin stage and is the top seed.
Both teams, along with the three-seed Slovakia and four-seed Finland, receive a bye in the first round. Four elimination games will be played Tuesday in the quarterfinals:
5. Switzerland vs 12. Italy at 6:10 a.m. eastern (winner plays 4. Finland)
6. Germany vs. 11. France at 6:10 a.m. eastern (winner plays 3. Slovakia)
7. Sweden vs 10. Latvia at 3:10 p.m. eastern (winner plays 2. United States)
8. Czechia vs 9. Denmark at 10:40 a.m. eastern (winner plays 1. Canada)
Werenski and Team USA will next play at 3:10 p.m. Wednesday and will face the winner of Tuesday's game between Sweden and Latvia.
Sweden is considered a heavy favorite in that game. Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins is on the Latvian team, but has not played since being pulled after the first two periods of their first-game loss to the United States.
After the quarterfinals, teams will be re-seeded. Should the United States make it to the semi-finals, puck-drop for that game would be Friday at either 10:40 a.m. or 3:10 p.m.
The bronze medal game is Saturday at 2:40 p.m., and the gold medal game is Sunday at 8:10 a.m.
