Team USA made an immediate impact on the first full day of competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, headlined by another one-sided performance from the women's hockey team and a five-point lead in figure skating's team event that sets up a pivotal Sunday.

The Italians have 25 first-time Olympians and four NHL draft picks, including Clara, defenseman Thomas Larkin (Columbus Blue Jackets, fifth round, 2009), forward Matthew Bradley (Canadiens, fifth round, 2015) and forward Cristiano DiGiacinto (Tampa Bay Lightning, sixth round, 2014).

The women’s hockey competition at the Olympics has an influence you might not have expected.

MILAN -- Italian police fired tear gas and a water cannon at dozens of protesters who threw firecrackers and tried to access a highway near a Winter Olympics venue on Saturday. The brief confrontation came at the end of a peaceful march by thousands against the environmental impact of the Games and the presence of U.S. agents in Italy.

MILAN (AP) — Don't under-estimate Finnish resilience. Difficult as the week was for Finland’s national women’s hockey team in dealing with a stomach virus that sent 13 of 23 players into quarantine, coach Tero Lehtera had a good feeling his players would show up ready for their first game at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

While Finland’s women’s hockey team appears to be improving after an outbreak of norovirus depleted its roster and forced the postponement of its first game at the Olympics, Switzerland’s players are