2026 Winter Olympics Day 4: US Hockey Dominates, Shiffrin Falters & Malinin Shines

The United States women’s hockey team continued its dominant run at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on Tuesday, dismantling rival Canada 5-0. The victory, a resounding statement of American supremacy on the ice, improved the U.S. Record to 4-0 in the tournament and secured their place in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Ilia Malinin delivered a stellar short program in men’s figure skating, positioning himself as a strong gold medal contender, while Mikaela Shiffrin struggled in the women’s team combined event.

USA Women’s Hockey Continues Dominance

The matchup against Canada, traditionally a tightly contested affair, proved to be anything but. The U.S. Outshot and outmaneuvered their northern neighbors, building a 2-0 lead in the first period and never looking back. The final score of 5-0 underscored the growing gap between the two hockey powerhouses, with the U.S. Now having outscored opponents by a staggering 20-1 throughout the Olympic tournament.

Caroline Harvey, widely projected as the No. 1 pick in the upcoming Professional Women’s Hockey League draft, continued her impressive Olympic performance, adding a goal and two assists to her already impressive tally. Hannah Bilka also contributed two goals to the American offensive onslaught. Abbey Murphy, proving to be a constant thorn in Canada’s side, tallied three assists, including a highlight-reel no-look backhand pass that set up Bilka’s second goal, and drew four penalties.

The U.S. Women will now face Italy in the quarterfinals, looking to continue their pursuit of Olympic gold.

Shiffrin’s Struggles Continue in Alpine Skiing

Expectations were high for the U.S. Duo of Breezy Johnson and Mikaela Shiffrin in the women’s team combined event. Johnson, fresh off a gold medal in the downhill, posted the fastest downhill leg, giving Shiffrin a narrow 0.06-second advantage heading into the slalom portion. However, Shiffrin’s run proved uncharacteristically slow, costing the U.S. A potential medal.

Shiffrin’s performance placed 15th out of 18 finishers in the slalom, dropping the American pair to fourth place just 0.06 seconds behind the bronze medalists. The gold medal went to Austria’s Ariane Raedler and Katharina Huber, with Germany’s Kira Weidle-Winkelmann and Emma Aicher taking silver.

Shiffrin will have an opportunity to regroup before the giant slalom event on Sunday.

Malinin Leads After Figure Skating Short Program

Ilia Malinin, the 21-year-old American figure skater known for his groundbreaking quad axel, delivered a captivating short program, earning a score of 108.16 and taking the lead heading into Friday’s free skate. Malinin cleanly landed both of his quadruple jumps, including the challenging quad lutz into a triple toe loop, and showcased his signature “Raspberry Twist.”

Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, who topped Malinin in the short program during the team event, finished second with a score of 103.07 after stepping out of a triple axel. France’s Adam Siao Him Fa rounded out the top three with a score of 102.55. Both Americans, Andrew Torgashev (88.94) and Maxim Naumov (85.65), advanced to the free skate.

Malinin’s strong performance sets the stage for a thrilling free skate on Friday, where he is expected to attempt the quad axel, a jump no other skater has successfully landed in competition.

Sweden Edges U.S. In Curling Final

In a tightly contested mixed doubles curling final, Sweden’s Isabella and Rasmus Wranå defeated Americans Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin 6-5, securing the gold medal. The match went down to the final stone, showcasing the precision and strategy inherent in the sport.

The silver medal represents a historic achievement for the U.S. Curling program, marking the first Olympic medal for an American woman in the sport and the first medal in Olympic mixed doubles curling since its debut in 2018. Thiesse and Dropkin, who first teamed up in 2022, expressed pride in their performance and the progress of the American curling team.

Norwegian Biathlete’s Unexpected Confession

The medal ceremony for the men’s 20km individual biathlon race took an unexpected turn when Norwegian bronze medalist Sturla Holm Laegreid publicly confessed to cheating on his girlfriend during a live television interview. Laegreid, a seven-time world champion, expressed remorse and a desire to reconcile with his partner, revealing his mistake to the world in a raw and emotional moment.

Norway’s Johan-Olav Botn won the gold medal in the event, with France’s Eric Perrot taking silver.