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Kim will ride halfpipe with a shoulder brace
SNOWBOARDING
AROUND THE GAMES
Chloe Kim's first meaningful ride through a halfpipe in almost 11 months will come at no place other than the Olympics.
That feels daunting, even for one of the best snowboarders in the world, whose leadup to the Games took a detour when she injured her shoulder during a training run in Switzerland the second week of January.
"I have so much anxiety," Kim said Monday, two days before she begins her quest to win a third straight gold medal. "But thankfully I have matcha (tea) and there's good vibes here and my family's here, so we'll be good."
The 25-year-old American returned to the halfpipe about two weeks ago and is wearing a brace on her left shoulder.
Harvey, Dunne lead U.S. women to another win
ICE HOCKEY
Caroline Harvey and Joy Dunne had a goal and two assists each, Gwyneth Philips had 20 saves in her Olympic debut, and the U.S. beat Switzerland 5-0. Alex Carpenter, Hannah Bilka and Haley Winn also scored.
Canadian captain MariePhilip Poulin exited with an injury early in her team's 5-1 win over Czechia, one day ahead of her team's highly anticipated game against the Americans.
Malinin 1st to legally land backflip at Games
FIGURE SKATING
U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin was the first person to legally land a backflip on Olympic ice. He performed the move on Sunday, marking a significant moment in figure skating history.
But he's not the first to do the move. The backflip was first landed by Terry Kubicka at the 1976 Olympics but was banned for being too dangerous. Surya Bonaly famously landed it on one blade at the 1998 Nagano Games, despite losing points.
Leerdam collected a silver in the 1,000 four years ago in Beijing and owns a pair of world titles at that distance. She also won three of the four World Cup races she entered this season.
BRIEFLY
FREESTYLE SKIING: Mathilde Gremaud defended her freeski slopestyle title and denied Eileen Gu a gold for a second consecutive Olympics. Gremaud won the final with a best-jump score of 86.96. Gu, who was born in the U.S. but competes for China, became a star after winning three medals in Beijing.
ALPINE SKIING: Lindsey Vonn's father, Alan Kildow, said Monday she will no longer race if he has any say. The American skiing superstar sustained a complex tibia fracture in her left leg that will require multiple surgeries during a downhill event.
SKELETON: Vladyslav Heraskevych wants to wear a helmet honoring Ukrainian athletes killed in Russian attacks while he competes at the Olympics. The helmet features images of about six athletes, including some Youth Games medalists.
— Associated Press
Page B2
US goalies have the hype
Canada's trio wants to silence the doubters heading into Games
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Canada goaltender Jordan Binnington makes a save on a shot by
Finland's Artturi Lehkonen during a 4 nations Face-Off game on
Feb. 17, 2025, in Boston.
CHARLES KRUPA, ASSOCIATED PRESS
United states goalkeepers Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, and
Jeremy Swayman, gather on the ice during a practice at the Winter
Olympics on Sunday in Milan, Italy.
CAROLYN KASTER, ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEN'S ICE HOCKEY
MILAN — The top two favorites to win gold in men's ice hockey are heading into the Olympics with polar-opposite perceptions of their goaltending situations.
The United States arguably has one of the best trios in the tournament, with Connor Hellebuyck as the reigning NHL MVP, Jake Oettinger a clutch playoff performer, and Jeremy Swayman in the midst of perhaps the best season of the three. Canada has more uncertainty, as Jordan Binnington has struggled back in North America, and Logan Thompson and Darcy Kuemper have limited international experience.
There is no lack of confidence on either side of the border, though the narratives range from effusive praise to lingering questions. The Americans are out to justify the hype in net, while the Canadians seek to silence the doubters.
"We all know what we can do, and we're just excited to go out there and prove everyone wrong," Thompson said. "You always hear it. Everyone always just says how they think the goaltending is the weakest part. I mean, it's been the word for the last couple of years. I don't see it that way. I don't think we see it that way. But for some reason everyone else does."
Coach Jon Cooper was quick to point out that Binnington, Kuemper and Thompson all have a championship pedigree and have made big saves when needed. He dismissed the notion of Canada's goaltending being a weakness.
"We have all the faith in the world in them," Cooper said. "To me, it's not a story. I don't know where it comes from."
Binnington, the starter when Canada won the 4 Nations FaceOff a year ago, has an .864 save percentage, which ranks last among all NHL goalies with at least 30 games played this season.
Thompson and Kuemper have better numbers, but they have combined for just three world championship appearances.
"You can't really listen to what people are saying, but we're all aware of how capable we are and confident in ourselves," Kuemper said. "Just go out there and play and not be too worried about what people are saying. Just go do what you do."
All three have a Stanley Cup ring. Binnington backstopped St. Louis to its first title in 2019, Kuemper helped Colorado win in 2022, and Thompson was an AllStar midway through the season before getting hurt on the way to Vegas hoisting the Cup in 2023.
While none of the U.S. goalies have won a Cup, all have had sustained success. Hellebuyck won the Vezina Trophy last year when Winnipeg was the top team in the NHL, Oettinger has taken Dallas to the Western Conference final three years in a row, and Boston's Swayman bounced back in a big way from a rough 2023-24 season.
"Regardless of which guy we put in, we have three elite goaltenders, all of which will give us an opportunity to win," coach Mike Sullivan said. "That we know."
Like Binnington, Hellebuyck was the No. 1 goalie at the 4 Nations Face-Off, and it would not be surprising if he starts the U.S. opener Thursday against Latvia. With back-to-back games over the weekend, Oettinger could get the nod in one — and maybe Swayman, too.
US reaches 1st mixed doubles final
Dropkin, Thiesse will face Sweden's Wrana siblings for gold medal
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The united states' Korey Dropkin, left, and Cory Thiesse
react following their victory against Italy in the semifinals of
mixed doubles curling at the Winter Olympics on Monday in Cortina
D'ampezzo, Italy.
FATIMA SHBAIR, ASSOCIATED PRESS
CURLING
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — Korey Dropkin whooped and hollered and directed a string of fist pumps to a small pocket of American curling fans chanting "U-S-A! U-S-A!"
The United States is headed to the mixed doubles final at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics — and has quashed the title hopes of the host nation in the process.
Dropkin and his more stoic partner, Cory Thiesse, guaranteed the U.S. its first Olympic medal in the mixed event with a 9-8 victory over Italy in a riveting semifinal match on Monday.
"I bring out a little bit more energy than I probably should," Dropkin said with a voice hoarse from yelling in celebration.
"You don't see football players, basketball players, baseball players always hiding their emotions," he continued. "You know when they're pissed off and you know when they're having a good time. Why not curlers, too?"
Thiesse, from the curling haven of Duluth, Minnesota, will become the first woman to win an Olympic medal for the U.S.
In Tuesday's title match, the Americans will play Sweden, whose brother-and-sister team of Isabella and Rasmus Wrana upset the British pair of Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat in a 9-3 blowout in just seven ends.
Dropkin, of Massachusetts, and Thiesse are competing in their first Olympics, and they hugged tightly after the final rock settled to earn two points and the win.
Thiesse said it was "crazy" she was going to be playing in a final, adding: "Just a dream week really."
Asked how it felt to beat the Italians, Dropkin said: "There's no better way to make the Olympic final than to go through the reigning Olympic champions."
Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner have enjoyed raucous support over the past week, with Italian fans registering their approval by banging on the old wooden bannisters inside the Cortina Curling Stadium and screaming "Italia! Italia! Italia!"
In Constantini, Italy found a new Olympic darling — and she looked stunned as the tables slowly turned.
The Italians had defeated the U.S. earlier in the day.
Dodds and Mouat, who entered the field as favorites, shook hands with the Wrana siblings with one end still to play. Sweden's brother-and-sister combo grew up as rivals, and now they could win gold together.
"We knew that we had to play our best game of the week to have a chance to beat Great Britain because they're so good," Rasmus Wrana said.
Asked how they came back from three losses in a row earlier in the round robin, Isabella Wrana said: "Mixed doubles, anything can happen."
Italy will take on Britain in the bronze medal match a few hours before the final.
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