Screenshot from the NBC highlight package on YouTube

Former Red Wing Jan Mursak ruins Olympic opener for U.S. men

By @MichaelCaples –

It wasn’t the start they wanted, and Jan Mursak is to blame.

Yeah, that Jan Mursak.

The former Red Wings forward scored the game-tying goal and then the game-winning goal in overtime to give Slovenia a win over the U.S. Men’s Olympic Team in the 2018 Games opener for both countries.

After building a 2-1 lead heading into the third period on goals from Brian O’Neill and recent NTDP alum Jordan Greenway, the U.S. team couldn’t hold on. Mursak, a sixth-round pick of the Wings in 2006, scored the tying goal with 1:37 remaining in regulation and then the game-winner 38 seconds into overtime.

“We’ll go into the next game the way we went into this one,”  said head coach Tony Granato via USAHockey.com. “We’ll try to be the best team we can be and try to find a way to win against the Slovaks, which will be a challenge in itself.

“Tonight is about filing away this game and getting ready for the next one. If you drag this one out then in 36 you’re not going to be ready to play in a couple of days. This one’s over and done with and we need to start looking forward to the next game.”

Next up for Team USA is Slovakia – that game takes place on Friday at 12:10 p.m. local time and 10:10 p.m. ET. It will be on CNBC and NBCOlympics.com.

Michigan Watch:

Chad Billins: 14:02 time-on-ice, +1 rating, 1 shot

Jim Slater: 2:20 time-on-ice, even plus/minus

James Wisniewski: 2:51 time-on-ice, even plus/minus

Highlights (click to play):