What to watch on Day 6 at Winter Olympics: Chloe Kim eyeing gold, U.S., Canada men’s hockey start

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Chloe Kim, the snowboarder who has been setting the bar high over the years, will attempt her third gold medal on Thursday in hopes of continuing her strong legacy. The U.S. and Canadian hockey teams will take the ice indoors as the men begin their tournaments and return to Olympic action for the first time since 2014.

While Norway leads the gold medal count with seven of the 13, the United States is up to four gold medals (seven total) so far in Italy, and will have several opportunities to add to that count on Day 6 of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Let’s take a look at everything to watch today.

Top events to watch

Cross-country skiing: Another medal shot for Jessie Diggins

Time: 7 a.m. ET, 1 p.m. in Italy

TV: Peacock

What to watch for: The women’s 10km interval start freestyle brings another good chance for Diggins, the American star in her final season, to win a medal. She has several World Cup wins over 10 kilometers and was the world champion in 2023.

Ice hockey: U.S., Canada men begin their tournaments

Time: Canada at 10:40 a.m. ET, 4:40 p.m. in Italy; U.S. at 3:10 p.m. ET, 9:10 p.m. in Italy

TV: Peacock

What to watch for: American and Canadian NHL stars return to the Olympic ice for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Games. Canada opens against the Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, while the U.S. takes on Latvia in the nightcap. Two other games Thursday: Switzerland-France at 6:10 a.m. ET and Germany-Denmark at 3:10 p.m. ET.

Snowboarding: Chloe Kim and the women’s halfpipe final

Time: 1:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. in Italy

TV: Peacock

What to watch for: Kim will be chasing a third gold medal, and the competition will be chasing her. The key question will be whether she lands her most technically ambitious runs under Olympic pressure and how close the field can push her to perform at her best, as riders attempt to shorten the gap. Even when Kim isn’t perfect, her scoring ceiling often forces competitors to take bigger risks, setting up a final that could hinge on execution and nerve as much as difficulty.

Other events

Curling: Men’s and women’s round robin

Times: 3:05 a.m. (women), 8:05 a.m. (men) and 1:05 p.m. (women) ET; 9:05 a.m., 2:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. in Italy

TV: Peacock

What to watch for: The U.S. and Canada women make their debut in the morning session. The Americans are up again in the evening session. Great Britain vs. Sweden highlights the afternoon men’s session.

Skeleton: Men’s heats 1 & 2

Times: 3:30 a.m. ET; 9:30 a.m. in Italy

TV: Peacock

What to watch for: The opening two heats will set the tone for a race where hundredths of a second can define medal hopes. With athletes making their first Olympic runs down the track, early consistency and clean starts will be crucial, especially as sliders balance aggression with control on one of the fastest courses in the world. Pressure will likely be on medal favorites to avoid mistakes while leaving little margin for recovery heading into the final runs, as Heats 1 and 2 will separate the good and great.

Freestyle skiing: Men’s moguls

Times: Qualification No. 2 at 4 a.m. ET, 10 a.m. in Italy; final at 6:15 a.m. ET, 12:15 p.m. in Italy

TV: Peacock

What to watch for: Demanding combinations of speed, aerial difficulty and technical precision will be tested as qualifiers kick off. The event rewards skiers who can maintain clean, controlled turns while attacking the course with aggression and executing high-difficulty jumps, so expect the competition to hinge on how athletes balance speed with form, as even small mistakes in the bumps or landings can swing scores dramatically. With judging split among turns, air and time, the event often produces tight finishes and momentum swings as finalists try to deliver high-risk runs under pressure.

Snowboarding: Men’s snowboard cross

Times: Qualification at 4 a.m. ET, 10 a.m. in Italy; final at 7:45 a.m. ET, 1:45 p.m. in Italy

TV: Peacock

What to watch for: Strategy, positioning and clean starts are often just as important as raw speed, as riders jostle for lanes and try to avoid crashes that can quickly eliminate medal favorites. The knockout format adds another layer of pressure, forcing competitors to balance aggression with control while navigating traffic at high speeds, making snowboard cross one of the Games’ most volatile and dramatic events. Keep an eye on USA’s Nick Baumgartner, Australia’s Adam Lambert, Austria’s Alessandro Hämmerle and Canada’s Éliot Grondin.

Speed skating: Women’s 5,000-meter

Time: 10:30 a.m. ET, 4:30 p.m. in Italy

TV: Peacock

What to watch for: Norway’s Ragne Wiklund, Canada’s Isabelle Weidemann and Joy Beune of the Netherlands are among the best in the women’s long-distance race. Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida is the reigning world champion, giving the host nation a medal hopeful. Dutch great Irene Schouten, the defending Olympic champion, has since retired.

Luge: Team relay

Time: 12:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. in Italy

TV: Peacock

What to watch for: Germany and Austria lead the field after strong individual results, but one misstep or sloppy transition can swing the podium. Keep an eye on Germany and Austria’s consistency, which earned them a lead so far. Star power and making every run and handoff will be critical, but they won’t necessarily carry each team to victory.

Short track speed skating: Women’s 500-meter and men’s 1,000-meter

Time: 2:15 p.m. ET, 8:15 p.m. in Italy

TV: Peacock

What to watch for: It could be a big day for North America here, with Americans Corinne Stoddard and Kristen Santos-Griswold and Canadians William Dandjinou, Steven Dubois and Courtney Sarault all among the medal contenders. Pietro Sighel gives Italy a medal shot in the men’s 1,000. Two-time world champion Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands is the name to beat in the women’s 500.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Olympics, Global Sports, Women’s Olympics

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