There were a few seconds after crossing the finish line when the moment of relief hit. The most decorated skier in the game realized she had ended her eight-year gold medal drought. For Mikaela Shiffrin, the mental block that had a hold on her disappeared. On the ice, a sense of no-not-again was felt as Sweden tied Wednesday's quarterfinal hockey game with 91 seconds left in regulation. However, this time, the U.S. men's team did not bow down as Quinn Hughes's goal sent the Americans into the semifinals. Let's get into the newsletter. |
The all-time World Cup record holder was in danger of going two straight Winter Games without a medal. Then, she dug in for one of the most dominant skiing results ever. |
By Pat Forde When she flashed past the finish line, smashing her Olympic mental block into rubble, Mikaela Shiffrin decelerated and stared at the scoreboard. Stared some more. Kept staring. For several seconds, there was no reaction at all. Roars reverberated around her. Everyone at the Olympia delle Tofane was celebrating Shiffrin's return to quadrennial dominance, winning the gold medal that had weirdly eluded her for eight years and eight consecutive Olympic races. But it took a moment to get there herself on Wednesday—a moment of confusion, then caution, then inner clarity. "I just didn't know what actually happened because I never seem to be able to read the scoreboard," Shiffrin said. "I did see the green [showing the margin of victory], but then sometimes it's a little bit hard to believe, sort of. So it's like, wait, are we sure? It will be embarrassing to celebrate and have that not be real." Finally, the pregnant pause ended. The most accomplished World Cup skier in history sank into a crouch above the snow and bowed her head. Then she came back up, sticking a triumphant fist in the air. It was quite the symbolic fall and rise, while her thoughts turned inward. |
|
|
U.S. women's hockey star Hilary Knight speaks with Sports Illustrated's Greg Cally as her team prepares for its final game, a U.S. vs. Canada gold medal showdown. With this marking the final Olympic Games of her legendary career, the Team USA captain opens up about her mindset heading into her last run on the biggest stage. |
|
|
| You can listen to the Daily Rings podcast below or on Apple and Spotify. You can also watch the podcast on YouTube. |
|
|
Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated |
By Michael Rosenberg The puck carried a story that no American wanted to hear. With 91 seconds left, Sweden's Mike Zibanejad scored on U.S. goalie Connor Hellebuyck, tying their quarterfinal, 1–1, and here came the story: The Americans couldn't finish, just like at the 4 Nations Face-Off last winter. Hellebuyck was headed for another devastating elimination-game loss, just like his playoff disappointments with the Winnipeg Jets. A narrative like that can be self-fulfilling. This one never reached the U.S. bench. The Americans brushed the goal aside and dominated 3-on-3 overtime to win 2–1. Quinn Hughes scored the game-winner: "Created some space for myself," he said, "and then took it to my forehand where I wanted it." That's the same Norris Trophy-winning Quinn Hughes who missed the 4 Nations with an injury.The better team won this game. The deeper team, the more talented team—but perhaps most importantly, moving forward: The U.S. was the more poised team. Olympic men's hockey is high on intensity but low on prep. Players just don't get much time together. Hellebuyck said the 3-on-3 overtime format "stinks," but he also said, "in a short tournament like this, you kind of have to have it." There are too many games in too tight of a timeframe to make anybody play four overtimes. Players have to trust their temporary teammates and feel out opponents in real time. |
Tim de Waele/Getty Images |
By Ben Steiner
Draped in the Canadian flag and pumping her fists in the largely empty Izu Velodrome in August 2021, Kelsey Mitchell basked in the glow of Tokyo Olympic gold. Three years later, Mitchell finished eighth in her gold medal defense at Paris 2024. Now, she finds herself back at the Olympics again, this time, as a bobsled brakewoman at Milan Cortina 2026 in a sport she only took up in November 2025. For Mitchell, that means a chance to chase an opportunity she never dreamed of by competing in three Olympics in five years across two sports, a feat seldom achieved in global sport. "I like the process of getting better at something," Mitchell says after arriving in the Cortina athletes' village. "Bobsled is more of a max-exertion effort and hitting a top speed as fast as I can, then getting in and just holding on, compared to cycling, when it was me against someone else." |
United States- 🥇7 🥈11 🥉6 (24) |
Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated |
Canada survived a scare against Czechia in a men's hockey quarterfinal classic. |
- 6:55 a.m. ET: Ski mountaineering men's and women's sprints finals MEDAL 🏅
- 8 a.m. ET: Men's Nordic combined team spring, cross-country (USA Network at 8:20 a.m. ET) MEDAL 🏅
- 10:30 a.m. ET: Men's speedskating 1,500-meter final (USA Network; NBC at 12:30 p.m. ET) MEDAL 🏅
- 1 p.m. ET: Women's figure skating free skate (NBC) MEDAL 🏅
- 1:10 p.m. ET: Women's hockey final: U.S. vs. Canada (USA Network) MEDAL 🏅
|
|
|
Get the print edition of Sports Illustrated delivered to your door. |
|
|
| Join the SI College Basketball Newsletter |
SI's college basketball newsletter delivers insider reporting and can't-miss stories on the biggest moments from across the country. From weekly previews to in-depth features, it's your essential guide to staying ahead in the world of NCAA hoops. |
|
|
We may receive compensation for some links to products and services included in this email.
Sports Publishing Solutions Inc.
625 Broadway, 10th floor
New York, NY. 10012 You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the SI Olympics newsletter. You can unsubscribe here . Privacy Policy – Terms & Conditions © 2026 Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. All betting and gambling content included in the SI Olympics newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). Betting and gambling content, including picks and predictions, are based on individual commentators' opinions and we do not guarantee any success or profits. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER or texting 800GAM. |
Click this link to view the newsletter in your browser. |
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment