Merzlikins Set to Start for Latvia vs. USA at Olympics

Elvis Merzlikins will defend the Latvian crease against the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday. The Columbus Blue Jackets netminder enters the tournament having won his last three NHL starts, stopping 70 of 75 shots. This season, Merzlikins holds an 11-8-1 record with a 3.48 GAA and an .888 save percentage over 21 contests. He faces a challenging matchup against the strong American team, which features his Blue Jackets teammate, Zach Werenski.