Day 7 of the 2026 Winter Olympics was a surprise shutout for Team USA on the podium, as an American didn’t win any of the 21 medals handed out Friday in Italy. Nothing was more shocking than Ilia Malinin stumbling his way off the podium. The day wasn’t all bad, though, as a couple U.S. teams posted big wins.
Here are the top five stories of the day:
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U.S. women’s hockey team stomps Italy to open playoffs
Team USA left group play looking like the clear gold medal favorite. Nothing changed on that front in their first game of the knockout round. The Americans advanced to the semifinals with a 6-0 win over the host country, scoring five goals in the second period alone.
Through five games, the United States has outscored they opponents 26-1, dominating against both the teams at the bottom of their group and co-favorite Canada. They will likely face Sweden, which will pulled off an upset over Czechia earlier, in the semis barring an upset on the other side of the quarterfinals on Saturday.
Ilia Malinin falters into eighth place
The ascension of the «Quad God» turned into a fall from grace. Ilia Malinin, the overwhelming gold medal favorite who entered Friday in the lead after the men’s short program, faltered enough times in the free skate to land in eighth place, one of the most surprising outcomes in figure skating history.
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It was instead Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov who claimed gold, with Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama and Shun Sato joining him on the podium. Malinin will still leave Italy with a gold medal via Team USA’s win in the team event, but he was blunt about his performance on Friday: “I blew it.”
U.S. women’s curling team finally beats Canada in Olympic play
The U.S. women’s curling team beat Canada 9-8 in round-robin play on Friday. It’s the first time in nine Olympic meetings that the Americans have been victorious against their northern neighbors.
The match was tight through the first five ends with Canada clinging to a 3-2 lead. In the sixth end, the U.S. roared ahead with four points. Canada did not back off, scoring two in the seventh and adding three in the ninth.
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Holding the hammer, Tara Peterson scored two on the last shot of the match to give the Americans their second victory of the tournament.
Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo ties record by winning eighth career gold medal
Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo tied a Winter Olympic record on Friday by winning his eighth career gold medal, and he may not be done yet. Klæbo’s latest medal came in the men’s 10km freestyle race, where he claimed his third gold at the Milan Cortina Games. He had already won the 20km skiathlon and the individual sprint in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 29-year-old can break his tie with fellow Norwegians Bjørn Dæhlie, Marit Bjørgen and Ole Einar Bjørndalen if he wins gold in the 4×7.5km relay, the men’s team sprint or the 50km mass start, all of which he is scheduled to compete in.
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Vladyslav Heraskevych’s appeal over DQ for helmet tribute denied
Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych’s appeal for reinstatement was denied after being banned from competing at the Winter Olympics on Thursday. Heraskevych refused to change a helmet honoring fellow Ukrainian athletes who died during Russia’s invasion of his home country. He said he did not consider racing with a different helmet because he believes he is “not violating any rules” and pointed to other athletes from different countries who are allowed to express their political views.
The IOC stated that his helmet did not comply with Olympic rules, which prohibit any form of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda at Olympic sites, venues or other areas. The IOC offered him the option to wear a black armband or black ribbon instead of the helmet on Thursday but Heraskevych refused. As a result, he sat out Friday’s men’s skeleton event after missing the first two runs yesterday.
Team USA medal count sits at 14
Highlight of the day
You want to see what a 95.00 looks like in the snowboarding halfpipe? Here’s what Japan’s Yuto Totsuka did to win gold.
One more thing
Jorrit Bergsma was already a decorated Olympian, entering these Games with one medal of each color. He returned for another go in Milan at 40 years old, and won a bronze medal in the 10,000m, becoming the oldest-ever speedskating Olympic medalist. But the highlight may just be his cheering section, also known as the «Matties,» who sport his signature mullet.
