MILAN — For the second game in a row, the USA faced adversity in the first period.

For the second time, a big second period led to a victory as the U.S. men’s hockey team rallied to win 6-3 on Saturday, Feb. 14, and improve to 2-0 at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

In the Latvia game, the USA had two goals disallowed. Against Denmark on Saturday, Feb. 14, the USA trailed 2-1 after one period because of two bad-luck goals.

Denmark’s Nick Olesen scored early after the puck went in off Zach Werenski’s skate. Then Nicholas B. Jensen gave Denmark a 2-1 lead with a shot from center ice that got past USA goalie Jeremy Swayman.

But just like in the Latvia game, the USA’s superior firepower won out. Brady Tkachuk and Jack Eichel scored 57 seconds apart in the second period, both goals coming after faceoffs. Noah Hanifin gave the USA a 4-2 lead.

Though Phillip Bruggisser cut the USA lead to 4-3 on a shot from the point with 2.6 seconds left in the second period, Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes scored in the third period for the 6-3 win.

‘I mean, it’s just battle and adversity and do whatever you have to do to stop the puck, and I’m really proud of this group for staying even keeled,’ Swayman said. ‘The confidence never left the group and that’s a serious trait at this stage in the tournament. And the guys rallied and we got it done.’

The USA will face Germany on Sunday (3:10 p.m. ET, USA Network, Peacock) and can clinch a bye to the quarterfinals with a Group C victory.

What’s next for the USA?

The 2-0 Americans will face Germany on Sunday (3:10 p.m., USA Network, Peacock) in the final preliminary round game. Germany, which features Leon Draisaitl, Tim Stutzle and Moritz Seider, lost to Latvia on Saturday to fall to 1-1. The USA will win Group C and gain a bye to the quarterfinals if it wins. Germany would win the group if it beats the USA in regulation because the first tiebreaker is head-to-head competition. With Connor Hellebuyck rested on Saturday, he likely would be the USA’s starting goalie on Sunday.

Final score: USA 6, Denmark 3

The USA improves to 2-0. If it beats Germany on Sunday, it will gain a bye to the quarterfinals.

Denmark power play

Matt Boldy is called for delay of game after putting the puck over the glass.

USA power play

Christian Weise is called for hooking. Denmark kills penalty. Less than three minutes left.

USA goal: Jack Hughes scores

He takes the puck over the goal line and banks it off goalie Frederik Dichow for a three-goal lead. USA 6, Denmark 3

Denmark goalie change

Frederik Dichow comes in Mads Sogaard, who appears to have been hurt doing the splits on a save.

Denmark power play

Auston Matthews is called for cross-checking. He was retaliating for stickwork by a Denmark player. Denmark gets two shots, but the USA kills the penalty. Less than 10 minutes left.

USA goal: Jake Guentzel restores two-goal lead

The USA pressures and Auston Matthews feeds Jake Guentzel in the slot. His goal restores the USA’s two-goal lead. Zach Werenski gets the second assist. USA 5, Denmark 3

Matthew Tkachuk chance

Matthew Tkachuk is alone in the slot, but his shot is stopped by Mads Sogaard.

Third period underway

4-3 USA.

Jeremy Swayman statistics

He has given up three goals on 11 shots through two periods.

End of second period: USA 4, Denmark 3

Denmark goalie Mads Sogaard did his best to keep the Americans at bay as they piled up the shots. The Americans scored an equalizer midway through the second period, off a face-off, with Brady Tkachuk netting his second goal of the Olympics. The U.S. scored again off a draw at 10:23, with Jack Eichel ripping a shot from the right circle to make it 3-2.

The U.S. moved ahead, 4-2 with 2:37 to go when Noah Hanifin scored on a rebound, the puck clipping the post on its way into Denmark’s net. That was part of a 15-4 advantage in shots for the Americans just in the second period. The Danes scored with 2.6 seconds on the clock to make it 4-3, with Phillip Bruggisser firing a shot from the blue line.

Denmark goal: Denmark scores in final seconds of period

Phillip Bruggisser’s point shot beats Jeremy Swayman with 2.6 seconds left in the second period to cut the USA’s lead to one. USA 4, Denmark 3

USA goal: Noah Hanifin adds to USA lead

Noah Hanifin’s shot squeezes through Mads Sogaard for a two-goal lead. USA 4, Denmark 2.

USA goal: Jack Eichel gives USA lead

Another USA goal off a faceoff. Jack Eichel picks up a loose puck and beats Mads Sogaard. That’s two USA goals in 57 seconds for the lead. USA 3, Denmark 2

USA goal: Brady Tkachuk ties game

Jack Eichel win a faceoff and the puck goes to Brady Tkachuk, who rips a shot past Mads Sogaard, his Senators teammate, at 9:26. USA 2, Denmark 2

USA power play

Patrick Russell slashes the stick out of Brady Tkachuk’s hand after a USA scoring chance. USA had two power-play goals in the opener against Latvia. Denmark kills the penalty, allowing one U.S. shot.

Second period underway

Denmark leads 2-1.

End of first period: Denmark 2, USA 1

The Danes grabbed momentum early on a goal from Nick Olesen just 1:40 into the game. Matt Boldy answered for the Americans two minutes later, scoring on Mads Sogaard. The Danes moved ahead again at 11:16 on a goal from Nicholas B. Jensen, firing a shot from right in front of the U.S. bench that slipped by Jeremy Swayman. Malte Setkov had an assist on that goal. The Danes kept their game simple, focusing on keeping the puck out of their zone and making sure Sogaard could see the puck. Sogaard made 11 saves in the first period to five by Swayman.

Brady Tkachuk mixes it up

The USA has a little flurry at the end, but Mads Sogaard keeps it 2-1 Denmark. Brady Tkachuk gets involved with a Danish player as the period ends. No penalties.

Denmark goal: Jeremy Swayman lets in long shot

Nicholas B. Jensen scores on a shot from just inside the red line. The puck went past a USA player and goalie Jeremy Swayman wasn’t able to pick it up for a Denmark goal at 11:16. Denmark 2, USA 1

Denmark power play

Dylan Larkin is called for holding. USA kills it off.

USA goal: Matt Boldy ties game

Matt Boldy picks up a rebound of his shot on goalie Mads Sogaard, goes behind the net and scores on a wraparound at 3:35. Quinn Hughes and Jaccob Slavin get the assists. USA 1, Denmark 1

Denmark goal: Denmark scores early

Nick Oleson scores at 1:40 for Denmark after a Zach Werenski turnover. The puck goes in off the skate of Werenski after Jeremy Swayman makes a save on Oleson. Denmark 1, USA 0

Game underway

USA’s Jeremy Swayman vs. Denmark’s Mads Sogaard in net. The Tkachuk line starts for the USA.

Olympic men’s hockey schedule and scores today

All times Eastern

• Group B – Sweden 5, Slovakia 3
• Group C – Latvia 4, Germany 3
• Group B – Finland 11, Italy 0
• Group C – USA 6, Denmark 3

Watch Olympic men’s hockey

Watch Olympic men’s hockey on Peacock

Team USA lines vs Denmark

USA vs Denmark predictions

• Mike Brehm: USA 4, Denmark 2.
• Jace Evans: USA 5, Denmark 2.

Full predictions

Jeremy Swayman helped USA win world championships

Swayman, who’s facing Denmark, didn’t play in the 4 Nations Face-Off. But he did help the USA get a rare gold medal at the 2025 world championships. He went 7-0 with a 1.69 goals-against average and .921 save percentage at the tournament, including a shutout in the championship game against Switzerland.

USA, Denmark, Greenland politics just ‘outside noise’

The political aspect of Denmark and the U.S. meeting in the Olympics stems from U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated demands that Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, should belong to the U.S.

‘We’re not used to being in the news that much,’ said Lars Eller, a forward with the Ottawa Senators who has played 1,116 games in the NHL. ‘But I feel like every week there’s something new, and whatever was in the news last week is forgotten quickly and we move on.

‘I don’t think it’s on any of our minds what’s going on politically in the world. It’s outside noise and in the profession we’re in, you have to be good at tuning out the outside noise.’

Why are there no fights in Olympic hockey?

International Ice Hockey Federation prohibits fighting, and it could lead to an ejection and a suspension.

‘Fighting is not part of international ice hockey’s DNA,’ the organization states in Rule 46 of the IIHF rulebook.

‘Players who willingly, participate in a ‘brawl/fight’ so-called ‘willing combatants,’ shall be penalized accordingly by the referee(s) and may be ejected from the game,’ the rulebook says. ‘Further supplementary discipline may be imposed.’

How long is NHL Olympic break?

The NHL will take a break from Feb. 6-24 for the 2026 Winter Olympics. No trades can take place during the Olympic break.

How the Olympics men’s hockey tournament works

The 12 teams are divided into three groups. They are:

• Group A: Canada, Switzerland, Czechia, France
• Group B: Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Italy
• Group C: USA, Germany, Latvia, Denmark

Teams play one game each against the other three teams in their group. Countries get three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime win, one for an overtime/shootout loss and zero for a regulation loss.

After the preliminary round is complete, teams are seeded 1 through 12 under the following criteria:

• Higher position in the group
• Higher number of points
• Better goal difference
• Higher number of goals scored for
• Better IIHF world ranking

The top four teams (group winners and best second-place team) get a bye to the quarterfinals. Teams 5-12 play in a qualifying round, with the winners going to the quarterfinals.

When is the Olympic men’s hockey tournament?

The tournament started Feb. 11 with two games. The USA opened play Feb. 12 against Latvia. All teams will play three games during the round robin, which runs through Feb. 15. The top four teams get byes to the quarterfinals.

Playoff qualification games are on Feb. 17 for teams ranked fifth through 12th, quarterfinals are Feb. 18 and semifinals are Feb. 20.

The bronze medal game is Feb. 21 and the gold medal game is Sunday, Feb. 22.

MILAN – The seeding for the qualifying round and the quarterfinals will be known at the end of the final day of the preliminary round of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Canada and Slovakia have already won Group A and Group B, respectively, and the Group C title will come down to the USA-Germany game at 3:10 p.m. ET (USA Network, Peacock) on Sunday, Feb. 15.

The USA clinches Group C if it wins. Germany would clinch it if it beats the Americans in regulation because they would be tied at six points each and the first tiebreaker is head-to-head competition.

That’s important because the top four seeds (group winners and best second-place team) get a bye to the quarterfinals. The remaining eight teams have to play in the qualifying round, with the four winners advancing to the quarterfinals.

If the USA wins in regulation, the top overall seed would also be in play, with goal differential being the deciding factor. Canada, which plays France, is plus 9 while the USA is plus 7 heading into Sunday’s action.

USA TODAY Sports is covering all the hockey action at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Sunday. Follow along:

Olympic men’s hockey scores and schedule today

All times Eastern and accurate as of Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, at 7:23 p.m.

• 6:10 a.m. – Switzerland vs. Czechia, Group A on CNBC, Peacock
• 10:40 a.m. – Canada vs. France, Group A on USA, Peacock
• 3:10 p.m. – USA vs. Germany, Group C on USA, Peacock
• 3:10 p.m. – Denmark vs. Latvia, Group C on CNBC, Peacock

Where to watch Olympic men’s hockey

Watch Olympic men’s hockey on Peacock

How the Olympics men’s hockey tournament works

The 12 teams are divided into three groups. They are:

• Group A: Canada, Switzerland, Czechia, France
• Group B: Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Italy
• Group C: USA, Germany, Latvia, Denmark

Teams play one game each against the other three teams in their group. Countries get three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime win, one for an overtime/shootout loss and zero for a regulation loss.

After the preliminary round is complete, teams are seeded 1 through 12 under the following criteria:

• Higher position in the group
• Higher number of points
• Better goal difference
• Higher number of goals scored for
• Better IIHF world ranking

The top four teams (group winners and best second-place team) get a bye to the quarterfinals. Teams 5-12 play in a qualifying round, with the winners going to the quarterfinals.

Playoff qualification games are on Feb. 17, quarterfinals are Feb. 18 and semifinals are Feb. 20.

The bronze medal game is Feb. 21 and the gold medal game is Sunday, Feb. 22.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn will be headed home soon.

Vonn said in an Instagram post on Saturday, Feb. 14, that her fourth surgery went well and she can finally return to the United States. Once there, she will need another surgery to repair complex tibial fracture in her left leg, suffered in a crash in the Olympic downhill.

‘Once I’m back I will give you more updates and info about my injury,’ Vonn wrote.

Vonn also reiterated that she has no regrets, even if her Olympics ended in the horrific crash. Despite a torn ACL, bone bruising and meniscus damage in her left knee from a Jan. 30 crash, Vonn said she felt stronger physically than she often has in the past.

‘Certainly stronger than I was when I ended career in 2019 where I got a bronze medal in the World Championships,’ she wrote. ‘And mentally…. Mentally I was perfect. Clear, focused, hungry, aggressive yet completely calm. … I was more ready than I have ever been.’

But that didn’t guarantee her anything, Vonn said. In going all out in trying to win another Olympic gold medal, she was taking a risk. A risk she took willingly, and she doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for her because of how it ended.

‘If you don’t try you’ll never know,’ she wrote. ‘So please don’t feel sad (for me). The ride was worth the fall. When I close my eyes at night, I don’t have regrets and the love I have for skiing remains. I am still looking forward to the moment when I can stand on the top of the mountain once more. And I will.”

Vonn included a video of her last run before the crash in Cortina, one of her favorite places. She made her first World Cup podium in Cortina, and 12 of her 84 wins came here.

‘Thankful I have this memory,’ she said.

Lindsey Vonn Instagram update

What happened to Lindsey Vonn?

Vonn hooked the fourth gate with her right arm, which sent her spinning and hurtling into the hard, packed snow. She tumbled end over end several times before coming to a stop.

‘Things just happen so quick in this sport,’ U.S. teammate Bella Wright said after the race. ‘It looked like Lindsey had incredible speed out of that turn, and she hooked her arm and it’s just over just like that.’

The three-time Olympic medalist remained prone in the snow, and she could be heard wailing in pain. The gasps and groans from fans faded into shocked silence as medics worked on her. Vonn remained on the course for approximately 13 minutes before being loaded into a helicopter.

What is Lindsey Vonn’s injury?

In an Instagram post on Feb. 9, Vonn shared the devastating news that she suffered a complex tibia fracture that will require multiple surgeries. The 41-year-old updated fans on Feb. 11 after a third surgery in Italy and included some gruseome photos of her progress . On Feb. 13, Vonn posted after yet another surgery that she still has more procedures ahead of her.

‘It’s been a quite hard few days here in the hospital here. I’m finally feeling more like myself, but I have a long way to go,’ Vonn said . ‘Tomorrow, I’ll have another surgery and hopefully that goes well. Then I can potentially leave and go back home, at which point I’ll need another surgery. Don’t know exactly what that entails until I get some better imaging.

A tibia fracture is a break in the shin bone that is an emergency needing immediate treatment. ‘Your tibias are some of the strongest bones in your body. It usually takes a lot of force to break one,’ according to the Cleveland Clinic. ‘You probably won’t be able to stand, walk or put weight on your leg if you have a broken shin bone.’

A complex fracture involves multiple breaks in a bone and damaged soft tissue, according Yale Medicine. Symptoms include extreme pain, numbness and, sometimes, a bone that protrudes through the skin. Treatment involves stabilization and surgery.

Lindsey Vonn crash video

NBC broadcasts the Olympics and posted video of Vonn’s crash .

USA TODAY Sports’ Samantha Cardona-Norberg breaks down Linsdey Vonn’s crash just after it happened.

Fans went silent as soon as Vonn crash, reacting with shock, grief and later support as the helicopter lifted her into the sky. USA TODAY Sports talked to some fans after the crash .

Is Lindsey Vonn OK?

Vonn was in obvious pain after the crash, but she was moving her arms, head and neck.

About 18 minutes after the crash, the helicopter slowly began flying toward Cortina. ‘Let’s let Lindsey Vonn hear us!’ the American announcer said as the chopper flew away with her, and the crowd cheered and applauded.

Vonn’s sister Karin Kildow was at the course today for the downhill and spoke to NBC reporters during their live broadcast:

‘I mean that definitely was the last thing we wanted to see and it happened quick and when that happens, you’re just immediately hoping she’s okay. And it was scary because when you start to see the stretchers being put out, it’s not a good sign,’ Kildow said. ‘But she really … She just dared greatly and she put it all out there. So it’s really hard to see, but we just really hope she’s okay.

‘She does have all of her surgeons and her PT staff here and her doctors, so I’m sure they’ll give us a report and we’ll meet her at whatever hospital she’s at.’

Lindsey Vonn torn ACL

It was second time in as many weeks Vonn left a mountaintop on a chopper. She fully ruptured her left ACL, sustaining meniscus damage and bone bruising , in a downhill crash on Jan. 30, in the final World Cup event prior to the start of the Olympics.

Vonn is also skiing with a partial replacement of her right knee. She had dominated the sport before the crash, making the podium in all five downhill races this season and winning two of them.

Despite the latest injury, Vonn was determined to race at her fifth and final Olympics. She said her knee felt stable and strong, and she had spent the last week doing intense rehab , pool workouts, weight lifting and plyometrics. She skied both training runs, posting the third-fastest time in the second run before it was canceled because of fog and snow.

Lindsey Vonn Olympics history

Vonn is 41 and was skiing in her fifth Winter Olympics (2002, 2006, 2010, 2018, 2026). She has won three Olympic medals (1 gold, 2 bronze).

Damian Lillard was a shocking addition to the NBA’s 3-point contest during All-Star weekend, given that the 35-year-old, nine-time All-Star hasn’t played a single minute of NBA basketball this year.

His inclusion in the event was head-scratching to many fans. Still, there’s no denying that Lillard is one of the best shooters in NBA history.

Not only has he shot over 35% from 3 in nine of his last 10 seasons, but he has won the 3-point contest twice already — 2023 and 2024. He was aiming to become just the third player in NBA history to win the event three times, and the first to do so non-consecutively.

Larry Bird won the event every year from 1986 to 1988, while Craig Hodges won the event each year from 1990 to 1992.

Lillard had a chance to make history. So, did he do it? Here are the full results from the 2026 NBA 3-point contest:

2026 NBA 3-point contest results

First round

*-advanced to the final round

• Devin Booker* – 30
• Damian Lillard* – 27
• Kon Knueppel* – 27
• Donovan Mitchell – 24
• Norman Powell – 23
• Jamal Murray – 18
• Tyrese Maxey – 17
• Bobby Portis Jr. – 15

Finals

1. Damian Lillard – 29
2. Devin Booker – 27
3. Kon Knueppel – 17

Booker missed the final three shots of his last rack, wasting three opportunities to tie and possibly win the event. Lillard’s win makes him the third three-time champion.

What did Damian Lillard score in his prior two wins?

In 2023, Lillard scored 26 points in the finals. His competitors, Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton, scored 25 and 17 respectively.

In 2024, Lillard, a model of consistency in this event, scored 26 points yet again, beating Trae Young (24) and Karl-Anthony Towns (22).

Lillard’s 29 points in 2026 mark the most he’s ever scored in a 3-point contest win.

The selection committee for the women’s NCAA Tournament has given fans their first glimpse as to what seeding might look like when March Madness rolls around.

Ahead of the clash between SEC contenders South Carolina and LSU on Feb. 14, the committee unveiled its first of two projections for the top 16 seeds. Members of the committee met in Indianapolis a few days ago to put together a mock bracket.

Undefeated UConn was tabbed as the No. 1 overall seed, followed by UCLA, South Carolina and Vanderbilt. The Commodores defeated Texas 86-70 at home on Thursday, a victory that seemingly pushed Shea Ralph’s team to the one-line. Vanderbilt hasn’t been a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament since 2002.

Full top 16 projection:

1. UConn
2. UCLA
3. South Carolina
4. Vanderbilt
5. Texas
6. Michigan
7. Louisville
8. LSU
9. Ohio State
10. Duke
11. Iowa
12. TCU
13. Maryland
14. Michigan State
15. Ole Miss
16. Oklahoma

Big Ten, SEC dominant in women’s basketball

The Big Ten and SEC have looked like the deepest and most competitive conferences in women’s college basketball all season and both were rewarded in this first projection with six seeds each in the top 16.

If Ole Miss holds on to its spot, it would be a historic seeding for the Rebels. They haven’t been a top-four seed since 1992. Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s team is 20-5 this season and has won six of its last eight games. But the Rebels have a tough schedule coming up with four consecutive games against ranked opponents within the next eight days: Kentucky, Tennessee, LSU and South Carolina.

Michigan State is projected to host opening weekend games for the first time since 2016.

In this projection, the ACC has two top 16 seeds, while the Big 12 and Big East have just one each. Opportunities remain for teams like Baylor, West Virginia and North Carolina to play their way into hosting rights.

The selection committee will unveil a second projection of the top 16 seeds in two weeks, on Sunday, March 1, at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN. The day before Selection Sunday — March 14 — the committee will announce which teams earned top 16 seeds and hosting rights before revealing the full bracket.

MILAN — Ilia Malinin fell apart in real time.

The 21-year-old was the gold medal favorite entering 2026 Winter Olympics. He took a more than five-point lead into Friday’s free skate. But the self-proclaimed ‘Quad God’ had a disastrous performance, falling twice, bailing on two jumps that were meant to be quads and suffering an epic meltdown on the sport’s biggest stage.

‘I blew it,’ he said after. ‘That’s honestly the first thing that came to my mind, there’s no way that just happened. I was preparing the whole season, I felt so confident with my programs, so confident with everything. That happened, I have no words, honestly.’

Watch Ilia Malinin Olympics video on Peacock

Ilia Malinin free skate video

NBC broadcasts the Olympics and has replays of every event on TV, Peacock and the full video of Malinin’s routine is already on YouTube.

What happened to Ilia Malinin?

The 21-year-old scored a 156.33 in his disastrous free skate, finishing in eighth place with a total score of 264.49. It’s the first event he’s lost since November 2023, and the first time he didn’t finish in the top three at a competition since March 2022. He didn’t land a single quad Axel the entire competition.

‘I was not expecting that. I felt like going into this competition, I was so ready,’ Malinin said. ‘I just felt ready getting on the ice, … maybe I was too confident.

‘It honestly just happened. I can’t process what just happened. It happens.’

‘I think it was definitely mental. Just now experiencing that Olympic atmosphere, it’s crazy. It’s not like any other competition. It’s really different.’

‘I felt really good this whole day, going really solid, and I just thought that I all I needed to do was go out there and trust the process that I’ve always been doing with every competition,’ he said. ‘But of course, it’s not like any other competitions, it’s the Olympics.”

What Ilia Malinin said on hot mic

As Ilia Malinin sat in the Kiss-and-Cry section, waiting for his free skate score to be read out after his terrible performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics, he was caught on a hot mic talking about how things would have been different had he gone to the 2022 Beijing Games.

‘Beijing, I would not have skated like that,’ he was heard saying. Then, NBC commentator Johnny Weir told viewers what he said: That he would not have skated so terribly had he already had Olympic experience under his belt. 

Malinin could be heard saying: ‘It’s not easy.’ The 21-year-old was later asked about the comment.

‘I think if I went to ’22, then I would have had more experience and know how to handle this Olympic environment,’ he said. ‘But also, I don’t know what the next stages of my life would look like if I went there.’

Men’s singles figure skating results

1. Mikhail Shaidorov (Kazakhstan): 291.58 total score, 198.64 free skate, 92.94 short program.
2. Yuma Kagiyama (Japan): 280.06 total score, 176.99 free skate, 103.07 short program.
3. Shun Sato (Japan): 274.90 total score, 186.20 free skate, 88.70 short program.
4. Junhwan Cha (Korea): 273.92 total score, 181.20 free skate, 92.72 short program.
5. Stephen Gogolev (Canada): 273.79 total score, 186.37 free skate, 87.42 short program.
6. Petr Gumennik (Neutral Athlete): 271.21 total score, 184.49 free skate, 86.72 short program.
7. Adam Siao Him Fa (France): 269.27 total score, 166.72 free skate, 102.55 short program.
8. Ilia Malinin (United States): 264.49 total score, 156.33 free skate, 108.16 short program.
9. Daniel Grassl (Italy):263.71 total score, 170.25 free skate, 93.46 short program.
10. Nika Egadze (Georgia): 260.27 total score, 175.16 free skate, 85.11 short program.
11. Kevin Aymoz (France): 259.94 total score, 167.30 free skate, 92.64 short program.
12. Andrew Torgashev (United States): 259.06 total score, 170.12 free skate, 88.94 short program.
13. Kao Miura (Japan): 246.88 total score, 170.11 free skate, 76.77 short program.
14. Lukas Britschigi (Switzerland): 246.64 total score, 165.77 free skate, 80.87 short program.
15. Matteo Rizzo (Italy): 243.18 total score, 158.88 free skate, 84.30 short program.
16. Aleksandr Selevko (Estonia): 236.82 total score, 154.80 free skate, 82.02 short program.
17. Boyang Jin (China): 229.08 total score, 142.53 free skate, 86.55 short program.
18. Deniss Vasiljevs (Latvia): 226.46 total score, 144.02 free skate, 82.44 short program.
19. Kyrylo Marsak (Ukraine): 224.17 total score, 137.28 free skate, 86.89 short program.
20. Maxim Naumov (United States): 223.36 total score, 137.71 free skate, 85.65 short program.
21. Vladimir Samoilov (Poland): 222.25 total score, 144.68 free skate, 77.57 short program.
22. Donovan Carrillo (Mexico): 219.06 total score, 143.50 free skate, 75.56 short program.
23. Yu-Hsiang Li (Chinese Taipei): 214.33 total score, 141.92 free skate, 72.41 short program.
24. Adam Hagara (Slovakia): 202.38 total score, 122.08 free skate, 80.30 short program.

MILAN — An Olympic gold was in sight for the ‘Quad God.’ After his short program, something catastrophic would have had to happen for Ilia Malinin not to medal.

And that’s exactly what happened.

Malinin fell twice and did not fully complete other elements of his typically unbeatable routine, finishing the men’s singles event at the 2026 Winter Olympics with a total score of 264.49 for eighth place overall.

Mikhail Shaidorov (Kazakhstan) won the gold medal with a 291.58 total score, and Malinin congratulated him after. Silver and bronze went to a pair of skaters from Japan Yuma Kagiyama (280.06) and Shun Sato (274.90).

‘I blew it,’ Malinin said on the broadcast after the event. ‘That’s honestly the first thing that came to my mind, there’s no way that just happened. I was preparing the whole season, I felt so confident with my programs, so confident with everything. That happened. I have no words, honestly.’

Watch Ilia Malinin Olympics video on Peacock

The 21-year-old Malinin sat in first place — by a comfortable margin of five points — entering the free skate, but was among the many skaters who struggled to stay upright on the ice on Friday, Feb. 13 in Milan.

‘I felt really good this whole day, going really solid, and I just thought that I all I needed to do was go out there and trust the process that I’ve always been doing with every competition,’ he said. ‘But of course, it’s not like any other competitions, it’s the Olympics.”

What happened to Ilia Malinin?

The 21-year-old scored a 156.33 in his disastrous free skate, finishing in eighth place with a total score of 264.49. It’s the first event he’s lost since November 2023, and the first time he didn’t finish in the top three at a competition since March 2022. He didn’t land a single quad Axel the entire competition.

‘I was not expecting that. I felt like going into this competition, I was so ready,’ he said. ‘I just felt ready getting on the ice, but I think maybe that have been the reason that maybe I was too confident that I was (going to) go well. It honestly just happened. I can’t process what just happened. It happens.’

‘I think it was definitely mental. Just now experiencing that Olympic atmosphere, it’s crazy. It’s not like any other competition. It’s really different.’

Breaking down Ilia Malinin’s free skate, jump by jump

Here’s a breakdown of every element from Ilia Malinin’s free skate program, looking at what was planned and what actually happened.

Ilia Malinin free skate video

NBC broadcasts the Olympics and has replays of every event on TV, Peacock and the full video of Malinin’s routine is already on YouTube.

Ilia Malinin 8th place finish

Malinin finished in eight place finish in the men’s singles figure skating competition at the Olympics. It’s the first event he’s lost since November 2023, and the first time he didn’t finish in the top three at a competition since March 2022.

What Ilia Malinin said on hot mic

As Ilia Malinin sat in the Kiss-and-Cry section, waiting for his free skate score to be read out after his terrible performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics, he was caught on a hot mic talking about how things would have been different had he gone to the 2022 Beijing Games.

‘Beijing, I would not have skated like that,’ he was heard saying. Then, NBC commentator Johnny Weir told viewers what he said: That he would not have skated so terribly had he already had Olympic experience under his belt. 

Malinin could be heard saying: ‘It’s not easy.’ The 21-year-old was later asked about the comment.

‘I think if I went to ’22, then I would have had more experience and know how to handle this Olympic environment,’ he said. ‘But also, I don’t know what the next stages of my life would look like if I went there.’

Mikhail Shaidorov wins figure skating gold

Ilia Malinin congratulates Mikhail Shaidorov

Men’s singles figure skating results

1. Mikhail Shaidorov (Kazakhstan): 291.58 total score, 198.64 free skate, 92.94 short program.
2. Yuma Kagiyama (Japan): 280.06 total score, 176.99 free skate, 103.07 short program.
3. Shun Sato (Japan): 274.90 total score, 186.20 free skate, 88.70 short program.
4. Junhwan Cha (Korea): 273.92 total score, 181.20 free skate, 92.72 short program.
5. Stephen Gogolev (Canada): 273.79 total score, 186.37 free skate, 87.42 short program.
6. Petr Gumennik (Neutral Athlete): 271.21 total score, 184.49 free skate, 86.72 short program.
7. Adam Siao Him Fa (France): 269.27 total score, 166.72 free skate, 102.55 short program.
8. Ilia Malinin (United States): 264.49 total score, 156.33 free skate, 108.16 short program.
9. Daniel Grassl (Italy):263.71 total score, 170.25 free skate, 93.46 short program.
10. Nika Egadze (Georgia): 260.27 total score, 175.16 free skate, 85.11 short program.
11. Kevin Aymoz (France): 259.94 total score, 167.30 free skate, 92.64 short program.
12. Andrew Torgashev (United States): 259.06 total score, 170.12 free skate, 88.94 short program.
13. Kao Miura (Japan): 246.88 total score, 170.11 free skate, 76.77 short program.
14. Lukas Britschigi (Switzerland): 246.64 total score, 165.77 free skate, 80.87 short program.
15. Matteo Rizzo (Italy): 243.18 total score, 158.88 free skate, 84.30 short program.
16. Aleksandr Selevko (Estonia): 236.82 total score, 154.80 free skate, 82.02 short program.
17. Boyang Jin (China): 229.08 total score, 142.53 free skate, 86.55 short program.
18. Deniss Vasiljevs (Latvia): 226.46 total score, 144.02 free skate, 82.44 short program.
19. Kyrylo Marsak (Ukraine): 224.17 total score, 137.28 free skate, 86.89 short program.
20. Maxim Naumov (United States): 223.36 total score, 137.71 free skate, 85.65 short program.
21. Vladimir Samoilov (Poland): 222.25 total score, 144.68 free skate, 77.57 short program.
22. Donovan Carrillo (Mexico): 219.06 total score, 143.50 free skate, 75.56 short program.
23. Yu-Hsiang Li (Chinese Taipei): 214.33 total score, 141.92 free skate, 72.41 short program.
24. Adam Hagara (Slovakia): 202.38 total score, 122.08 free skate, 80.30 short program.

Simone Biles stops by figure skating

Eleven-time Olympic medalist and seven-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles stopped by the Milano Ice Skating Arena on Friday night to watch ‘Quad God’ Ilia Malinin and the rest of the men’s singles figure skaters compete for Olympic hardware.

Maxim Naumov’s free skate

Despite the mixed performance, the crowd shared its love for the skater. He even earned a standing ovation from actor Jeff Goldblum, who is in the crowd at Milano Ice Skating Arena. He again shared the photo of him as a child with his parents.

Here’s more about his backstory:

After Naumov finished in fourth place at the 2025 U.S. figure skating championships for the third straight year, his father, Vadim, wanted to game plan.

Vadim and Maxim’s mother, Evgenia Shishkova, were two-time Olympic pair skaters for Russia, and they knew Maxim’s upcoming year was critical with the 2026 Winter Olympics on the horizon.

A few days later, Vadim and Shishkova were among the 67 people killed in the midair collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C. They were among the 28 figure skating coaches, young athletes and parents who were returning from a development camp. An unimaginable tragedy, and Naumov didn’t know if he could skate anymore.

Read the full story from reporter Jordan Mendoza.

Why is Ilia Malinin called the ‘Quad God’?

Simply put, Ilia Malinin has the greatest array of jumps any figure skater in history has ever possessed. He’s launched himself into the air for seven quadruple jumps in a single long program at last month’s Grand Prix Final and was the first skater to land a quad Axel.

Malinin’s username used to be Lutz God, but he changed it to Quad God after landing his first quad jump. 

“i didn’t think much about it … Days go by and people started asking, ‘Why’d you name yourself Quad God, you only landed one jump,’’ he said on Milan Magic, USA TODAY’s new Olympics podcast that drops its first episode Saturday. ‘And then I was like, ‘Oh, OK maybe I should be come a Quad God.’ From there I found my rhythm of landing quad after quad after quad and then of course landing the first quad axel.”

“In the most humble way possible, I think it’s definitely helped my confidence in not only to skating in general but just feeling like I deserve to be recognized as who I am.”

What makes Ilia Malinin so great? Skaters marveled by the ‘Quad God’

These are the few ways to describe Ilia Malinin, and none of them are an exaggeration. Every sport gets an athlete that redefines everything you know about it. Basketball had Michael Jordan. Football had Tom Brady. Baseball has Shohei Ohtani. 

Now, figure skating has its phenom, and it’s not just fans that are amazed by the 21-year-old. Those who have championed the sport and been through the grind are just as flabbergasted by how he’s turned figure skating upside down.

‘All the skaters that I sit with in the audience, they throw up their hands, and they think, ‘Oh, my God, this guy’s just so amazing,’” 1988 Olympic champion Brian Boitano said on USA TODAY’s Milan Magic podcast.

Now, the entire world has its chance to be the next spectators wowed at the 2026 Winter Olympics. It’s been a journey four years in the making, and in his Olympic debut, Malinin is out to show why he is the present and future of figure skating. 

He already did it in the team event, and now it’s time for him to do it in the men’s singles to become the next great American figure skating champion.

Figure skating Olympics schedule

Here is the remaining figure skating schedule in Milan. All times Eastern.

• Feb. 15, 1:45 p.m.: Pairs short program
• Feb. 16, 2 p.m.: Pairs free skate
• Feb. 17, 12:45 p.m.: Women’s short program
• Feb. 19, 1 p.m.: Women’s free skate

Ilia Malinin’s parents

Malinin was born into figure skating. His mother, Tatiana Malinina, is from the Soviet Union, Siberia specifically, and competed at 10 consecutive world figure skating championships for Uzbekistan. She finished eighth at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, the competition in which Tara Lipinski won the gold medal and Michelle Kwan the silver. Malinina finished fourth at the 1999 world championships as well, and she also competed at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, but withdrew after the short program with the flu.

Malinin’s father, Roman Skorniakov, represented Uzbekistan at the same two Olympics, 1998 and 2002, finishing 19th both times. He and Malinina were married in 2000 and became skating coaches in the United States, moving to the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., where, in December 2004, Ilia was born. He took the Russian masculine form of his mother’s last name because his parents were concerned that Skorniakov was too difficult to pronounce. 

Are backflips allowed in figure skating?

They are now. For nearly 50 years, the backflip was banned in figure skating, after American skater Terry Kubicka became the first one to execute it at the 1976 Innsbruck Games. French skater Surya Bonaly did it at the 1998 Winter Olympics, landing it on one blade, but the move was illegal and she was deducted for it. 

The International Skating Union reversed course and made the move legal in 2024, paving the way for it to be done at the 2026 Winter Olympics, 50 years after it was first done.

Ilia Malinin backflip

The ‘Quad God’ performed his first skate during the team event Saturday, Feb. 7, and he became the first skater since 1998 to perform a backflip at the Games, and the first since it was unbanned.

Malinin closed his performance with the stunning move than wowed the crowd at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. However, Malinin finished second in the event with a score of 98.00 after Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama pulled off a stunning routine that received 108.67 points.

Malinin then landed a backflip on one foot during his long program of the team event. Malinin was the first to pull off the one-foot move since French figure skater Surya Bonaly at the 1998 Nagano Winter Games. Bonaly landed it on one blade despite it being banned at the time and was deducted for it.

Quad axel in figure skating

Malinin is the only skater in history to achieve a quadruple axel in competition. That feat earned him the nickname ‘Quad God.’

What is a quad axel though? Here’s a full explanation of Malinin’s iconic move. A quadruple axel requires four-and-a-half rotations in order to complete. It’s so difficult, in fact, that it was once considered impossible to perform.

When did figure skating start in the Olympics?

Figure skating first made its Olympic debut at the Summer Games in London in 1908 and made another appearance in Antwerp in 1920, before becoming a Winter Olympic staple at the inaugural 1924 Chamonix Winter Games with men’s singles, women’s singles and pair skating events. Ice dancing was added to the program at the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympics, and the team event was first contested at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

How is figure skating scored?

A figure skating routine is made up of two scores: Technical elements score and program components score. The technical elements score is exactly what it sounds like: It’s for the jumps, spins and step sequences in a performance. The program components score is made of up composition, presentation and skating skills.

INGLEWOOD, CA — Give credit to the young stars of the NBA.

As the NBA All-Star Game has faced criticism from fans and league executives alike for a lack of competitive spirit, the Rising Stars tournament delivered in entertainment and quality play. In the end, it was Team Vince, led by NBA Hall of Famer Vince Carter, who won the championship behind the play of 76ers rookie guard VJ Edgecombe.

He led all players across the competition with 23 combined points in the semifinal and final round. Team Vince toppled Team Melo by one point, 25-24, in the championship game.

‘This is what we wanted to get out of this, guys competing,’ Carter said in the postgame interview with NBC. ‘I thought the competition was great.’

Edgecombe won the Rising Stars Most Valuable Player award for his performance.

‘We appreciate people tuning in, even to the Rising Stars Game,’ Edgecombe told reporters after the game. ‘We just tried to make it fun, tried to make it competitive and worth your time. …

‘And I wanted to win. I hate losing, I really hate losing. We had the chance to win it all, so why not go for it?’

Rising Stars Championship: Team Vince 25, Team Melo 24

Needing a 3 to win, Team Melo tried to find an open look from beyond the arc, but Team Vince’s defense made it tough to get a clean shot off. So Jeremiah Fears drove to the hoop and missed the layup, but Stephon Castle cleaned it up with the putback, to give Team Melo a 24-23 lead.

On the other end, as he had done all night for Team Vince, 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe was the standout. He drove down the left side of the paint, got to the basket and drew a shooting foul from Team Melo center Donovan Clingan.

Edgecombe, calm as ever, knocked down the two free throws to win the game. He led Team Vince with 6 points.

Second timeout: Team Vince 23, Team Melo 22

Straight out of the Team Melo timeout, Spurs rookie Dylan Harper laced a corner 3. Then, after a stop on the other end, Jeremiah Fears rattled home a 3 from the opposite corner to take back the lead.

Team Melo then got 3 happy and missed its next three attempts, all of which were from beyond the arc. That let Team Vince go on a little run.

Now, each team is just one basket away from the title, as the first team that gets to 25 will win the game.

First timeout: Team Vince 15, Team Melo 11

Team Vince missed its first three shots, while Team Melo’s Donovan Clingan nailed a 3 to open scoring. On the way down, Matas Buzelis (Vince) thundered home a dunk and then VJ Edgecombe added a basket.

The pace has been quick and engaging, with both teams looking to get quick offensive actions early in the shot clock. Team Melo, though, has only had two players — Clingan and Dylan Harper — score points. The rest of Team Melo has combined to go 0-for-5.

It has been the opposite for Team Vince, which has had six of its seven players score at least 2 points. Team Vince is now just 10 points away from the Rising Stars title.

Rising Stars Semifinal Game 2: Team Vince 41, Team T-Mac 36

76ers rookie guard VJ Edgecombe took over down the stretch. As Team Vince continued to stack baskets, it was Edgecombe who set the tone and finished with a game-high 17 points. He added 5 rebounds and 1 assist, but he scored Team Vince’s final 10 points of the game.

Team T-Mac did start to mount a little comeback, but it missed a few attempts inside the paint.

Now, Team Vince will face Team Melo in the Rising Stars championship game.

Second timeout: Team T-Mac 24, Team Vince 22

Team Vince has settled in and has found its rhythm. It has hit 4 of its last 9 shots, as 76ers rookie guard VJ Edgecombe has come off the bench to pour in 7 quick points, including a corner 3 assisted from Derik Queen that forced a Team T-Mac timeout.

Team T-Mac has cooled off a touch, but Heat center Kel’el Ware continues to lead the team with 7 points. One player having a rough go? Hawks second-year wing Zaccharie Risacher, the 2024 No. 1 overall selection, who is 0-for-5 from the field.

First timeout: Team T-Mac 15, Team Vince 7

In a battle of cousins and NBA icons, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, it was Team T-Mac that took an early lead.

Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware flushed a 3-pointer and, later, slammed home an alley-oop that he received off of a pick-and-roll. He and Wizards point guard Tre Johnson are tied for most points on Team T-Mac, with 5.

Team Vince, however, has had a tough time hitting shots, opening the game just 3-of-10 (30%) from the field. That compares to Team T-Mac’s shooting clip of 54.5%.

Rising Stars Semifinal Game 1: Team Melo 40, Team Austin 34

Just when it looked like Team Austin and the G Leaguers would scratch out an upset, Team Melo locked in. Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (Melo) drained consecutive 3s to reclaim the lead.

Then, Spurs guard Stephon Castle attacked the paint and got to the line for a pair of free throws, before Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears floated a bank jumper, leaving Team Melo two points away from victory.

After Team Austin airballed a 3, Spurs rookie Dylan Harper ended the game with a short stepback jumper in the paint.

Sheppard and Donovan Clingan led Team Melo with 9 points apiece, while Fears added 7.

For Team Austin, Yanic Konan Niederhauser paced the way with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, while Yang Hansen chipped in 10 points on 4-of-5 from the field.

Second timeout: Team Austin 30, Team Melo 26

The young G Leaguers have taken control of the game. Now just 10 points away from a win, the pair of Team Austin bigs Yanic Konan Niederhauser (9 points and 2 rebounds) and Yang Hansen (8 points) have attacked the basket.

Niederhauser has flushed home a couple of alley-oop dunks, while Hansen has flashed steady footwork to create space; on the most recent basket, Hansen jab stepped multiple times, getting Donovan Clingan out of position and allowing Hansen to cruise through the paint for an easy lay-in.

First timeout: Team Melo 16, Team Austin 12

The first semifinal game of the showcase features Team Austin, led by former NBA guard Austin Rivers, against Team Melo, led by NBA Hall of Fame forward Carmelo Anthony. Team Melo is arguably the most balanced and complete roster, with high-profile second-year players and rookies. Team Austin features G League stars.

Early on, however, Team Austin held its own, fighting back from a six-point deficit to close the Team Melo lead.

It has been a showcase of bigs, as Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (Melo) leads all players with 9 points. On Team Austin, it was Yanic Konan Niederhauser who scored 5 early points, including a 3 he swished.

Ron Harper Jr. (Austin), who is battling against his brother, Spurs rookie Dylan Harper (Melo), scooped 5 early rebounds.

How to watch NBA Rising Stars Game?

Where: Intuit Dome (Inglewood, California)

When: Friday, Feb. 13, 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT)

TV/Stream: Peacock

Who will play in NBA Rising Stars Game?

Team Melo: Ace Bailey, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Jeremiah Fears, Donovan Clingan, Collin Murray-Boyles

Team T-Mac: Kon Knueppel, Kel’el Ware, Tre Johnson, Ajay Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Cam Spencer, Bub Carrington

Team Vince: VJ Edgecombe, Derik Queen, Kyshawn George, Matas Buzelis, Egor Demin, Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells

Team Austin: Sean East II, Ron Harper Jr., Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Alijah Martin, Tristen Newton, Yang Hansen, Mac McClung, David Jones Garcia

NBA Rising Stars game schedule

• Game 1: Team Melo vs. Team Austin
• Game 2: Team Vince vs. Team T-Mac
• Rising Stars championship: (G1 winner vs. G2 winner)