Auston Matthews silences critics as Olympic teammate reveals what fans don’t see

Team USA played their final preliminary round game on Sunday afternoon, as they beat the Germans 5-1. Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews led the way for the Americans with two goals and an assist. Matthews played his best game of the tournament and will look to keep his game trending into the Quarterfinals.

Matthews and USA's performance against Germany

USA looked one step ahead from the very beginning of the contest. They won puck battles and carried the play throughout the entire game. Team USA finished the preliminary round with a 3-0-0 record, holding onto the second seed, as Canada finished with a higher goal differential. Matthews spoke after the game, noting, "The confidence just continues to grow within our group." "Each game, I think we've taken steps in the right direction of where we want to grow our game going into the quarterfinals, and it's good to see."

Zach Werenski touched upon Matthews's stellar performance as well.

"There are a lot of things he does really well. Even when he is not producing, there are things that people might not notice. Everyone is always focused on his goal scoring - and rightfully so, he is one of the best goal scorers in the world - but since we have been here, he has been such a leader for us with the way he plays the game. ... He plays the right way. He is always getting chances, winning face-offs, and tonight it is nice to see him get rewarded."

Matthews is the right player for the captaincy

After receiving some criticism from the media, Matthews stepped up and drove the offence from the beginning of the game. If the Americans want a real chance at winning gold, they will need Matthews to be their biggest force. He is the face of USA hockey and has been since the beginning of his career. Their opponents for the Quarterfinals is set yet to be discovered as they earned a bye.