USA Women’s Hockey Triumphs, Shiffrin Falters, Malinin Excels: 2026 Olympics Day 4 Recap

The 2026 Winter Olympics are providing thrilling moments as the competition continues to heat up. On Day 4, the USA women’s hockey team showcased their prowess, while Mikaela Shiffrin faced setbacks in Alpine skiing and Ilia Malinin excelled in figure skating.

USA Women’s Hockey Triumphs Over Canada

The USA women’s hockey team dominated Canada with a decisive 5-0 victory at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. This win solidifies their impressive Olympic record, outscoring opponents 20-1 across four matches, with a perfect record of 4-0 in the tournament.

• Caroline Harvey contributed with a goal and two assists.
• Hannah Bilka scored twice, showcasing her scoring ability.
• Abbey Murphy recorded three assists and played a pivotal role in drawing penalties against Canada.

This match concluded the group stage for the USA, who will advance to the quarterfinals to face Italy.

Mikaela Shiffrin Faces Challenges in Alpine Skiing

In Alpine skiing, expectations were high for Mikaela Shiffrin and partner Breezy Johnson. Johnson excelled in the downhill leg, providing a 0.06-second lead for Shiffrin in the slalom. However, Shiffrin struggled, placing 15th out of 18 skiers. This disappointing performance resulted in the USA team finishing fourth overall, just shy of a medal.

Gold medalists Austria’s Ariane Raedler and Katharina Huber, along with Germany’s Kira Weidle-Winkelmann and Emma Aicher, captured silver. Shiffrin will have the chance to recover in the upcoming giant slalom event.

Ilia Malinin Excels in Figure Skating

In figure skating, 21-year-old Ilia Malinin stole the spotlight. Known as the “Quad God,” he executed two clean quadruple jumps, scoring 108.16 points and placing first in the men’s singles short program. His outstanding performance positions him as a leading contender for the gold medal.

• Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama holds second place with 103.07 points.
• France’s Adam Siao Him Fa trails close behind in third with 102.55 points.

The free skate segment will take place on Friday, continuing the excitement around Malinin’s journey.

Historic Success in Mixed Doubles Curling

The mixed doubles curling team of Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin delivered a strong performance, securing a silver medal. They narrowly lost to Sweden’s Isabella and Rasmus Wranå in a competitive final, finishing with a close score of 6-5.

This historic silver marks the first Olympic medal for American women in mixed doubles curling, a discipline introduced in the 2018 Games. The duo previously won the world championship in 2023, underscoring their rising status in the sport.

Emotional Moment for Norwegian Biathlete

Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid won a bronze medal in the 20km individual biathlon race. However, during the post-medal ceremony, he made headlines for his heartfelt confession about cheating on his girlfriend. He expressed regret and vulnerability while hoping to reconcile with her.

Laegreid’s emotional moment following his victory contrasts sharply with the competitive triumph of the day.

The 2026 Winter Olympics continue to deliver unforgettable moments as athletes strive for glory.