With the US Men’s Hockey Team kicking off its 2014 Olympic campaign Thursday, it looks to seek revenge after a heartbreaking gold medal game loss just four years ago. There is only one question left to ask:  Is this the team to take home the gold?

The Team

Scoring goals shouldn’t be hard for the US who is led by Phil Kessel, Patrick Kane, and Joe Pavelski, giving them one of the best offenses in the games. Both Kessel and Kane are in the top five in points this season and Pavelski is fifth in goals with 29. Zach Parise will also be a key player for the team, even though he has battled an injury for most of the NHL season. Goaltending will be another solid part of the team’s game and whether its Ryan Miller, Jonathan Quick, or Jimmy Howard is in net, the team will be able to have a reliable goalie to back them up.  The defense is the biggest question mark for the team. The US is bringing three first time Olympians in Capitals star John Carlson, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Ryan McDonagh. So, will the lack of experience come back to bite them? Depth will be key to make a run back to the gold medal game, but it may be something the US doesn’t have.

The Group

The US is in Group A with Russia, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Russia will be the team’s biggest obstacle with the Russians’ offense loaded with NHL stars like Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin, which will put the US defense to the test in their second game. The Russian team is also playing at home in Sochi and will have added pressure to perform after finishing a disappointing sixth two years ago in Vancouver. Slovakia, led by Marian Hossa and Zdeno Chara, but without star Marian Gaborik, doesn’t look to be too much of a threat for the Americans. Slovenia is the last team in the group and only has one NHL player on its entire roster so they too shouldn’t be a problem for the US. If they can get past Russia, the US should be able to secure an automatic bye and make it straight into the quarterfinals.

The Medal Round

If everything in group play goes as planned, the US will find themselves starting their quest for a gold medal in the quarterfinals. Standing in their way will be the Swedes and Canadians, two of the most complete teams in Sochi. Sweden is led by goalie Henrik Lundqvist who is looking to earn his second goal medal and will be a wall in between the pipes. They also have both a strong offense and defense, led by Henrik Zetterberg and Erik Karlsson, making them one of the favorites to take home gold. Even bigger of a threat than Sweden, however, may be Canada. The Canadians come with an absolutely loaded offense made up of NHL superstars Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Ryan Getzlaf, and Patrick Sharp. Even with goalie Carey Price’s lack of Olympic experience, 2010 gold medal-winning goalie Roberto Luongo will be able to step in and keep the team rolling.

In Conclusion

The US will have a tough road ahead of them, but they still have a chance to take home the gold. The loss of Henrik Sedin is huge for the Swedes, but Canada’s firepower may be too much for the US to stop. The team should medal, but winning gold will be a challenge.