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The United States packed a week’s worth of drama into a single winter day in Italy, turning Thursday in Milan Cortina into a rolling reel of gold-medal moments, near-misses, and clutch escapes. At one end of the Games, the ice belonged to a 20-year-old who grew up watching Olympic legends and is now rewriting their chapter. At another, a veteran core in red, white, and blue dug all the way back from the brink against their greatest rival and refused to let a gold medal slip away.
It was the kind of day that shows the full range of Team USA’s winter identity. There was artistry and edge from the figure skaters, steel-nerved execution from the women’s hockey team, and relentless, almost stubborn effort from the speedskaters and curlers who turned deficits and fatigue into podiums and playoff berths. Everywhere you looked, Americans were either chasing history or refusing to be written out of it.
Alysa Liu’s free skate lit the fuse, sending a charge through the arena and finally breaking a decades-long drought in women’s singles. Not long after, Hilary Knight, Megan Keller, and the rest of the women’s hockey team authored a rivalry chapter that will live on highlight loops for years. Even when the script didn’t end in gold, as with Jordan Stolz’s 1,500 meters, the standard stayed sky-high. This was Team USA in full color. Young stars arriving, veterans delivering, and multiple teams keeping the medal count humming as the Games hit the home stretch.
Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Team USA takes a selfie with their gold medals after defeating Canada in the women’s ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Hilary Knight dragged Team USA back from the brink with a tap-in equalizer in the final two minutes, her record 15th Olympic goal for the program. Megan Keller then finished the job with a slick backhand winner in 3-on-3 overtime, sealing a 2-1 victory and the Americans’ first women’s hockey gold since 2018 over archrival Canada. From trailing for the first time all tournament to watching coach John Wroblewski in tears on the bench, it was the full rivalry drama compressed into one unforgettable night.
Also, when Team USA needed a captain’s moment, Hilary Knight delivered one that felt inevitable and unbelievable all at once. With under two minutes left and the Americans down 1–0, Knight crashed the crease and tapped home the game-tying goal, pushing the gold-medal showdown into overtime. Goal No. 15 of her Olympic career.
Megan Keller froze time with a slick backhand in 3-on-3 overtime, beating Canada to seal a 2–1 win and deliver Team USA’s first women’s hockey gold since 2018. The bench emptied, and coach John Wroblewski was shown in tears, and a rivalry that never disappoints somehow found a new classic. Now, all eyes are on their male counterparts to make history.
Feb 19, 2026; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; Tabitha Peterson, Cory Thiesse, Tara Peterson and Taylor Anderson-Heide of the United States celebrate after defeating Switzerland in a women’s curling round robin match during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
The U.S. women’s curling team did it the hard way, but they did it. Needing a win to advance, Tabitha Peterson’s rink saw Switzerland erase a three-point deficit in the 10th end before the Americans coolly drew the winning stone in extras for a 7-6 victory. The result secured the No. 2 seed and sent Team USA into its first Olympic women’s curling semifinals in 24 years, with a real path to the podium now in front of them.
Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Alysa Liu of the United States celebrates with the gold medal in the women’s free skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images
Alysa Liu turned a pressure-cooker free skate into a coronation, posting a 150.20 that launched her from third to first and secured the United States’ first women’s singles gold since 2002. It was her second gold of these Games after the team event, and the performance had everything: clean jumps, electric energy, and a raw, celebratory “that’s what I’m talking about” as the score dropped. For a skater who once stepped away at 16, this was the ultimate full-circle Olympic moment.
[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Jordan Stolz of United States in the men’s speedskating 1500m during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Speed Skating Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Piroschka Van De Wouw/Reuters via Imagn Images
Jordan Stolz’s chase for four golds hit its first snag, but even his off-day produced another podium. Skating in the last pair of the men’s 1,500, he clawed back from a big late deficit to grab silver behind China’s Ning Zhongyan, who broke the Olympic record in 1:41.98. Already the 500 and 1,000 champion with records in both, Stolz left Milan with a third medal and one more shot in the mass start to layer onto a breakthrough Games.
DON’T MISS: 8 unique Winter Olympics rules that will surprise you
Feb 19, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Svea Irving of the United States in the women’s freestyle skiing halfpipe qualification during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
In the pipe and park, a wave of American freeski talent set up future medal shots. Svea Irving and Kate Gray both advanced to the women’s freeski halfpipe final with top-12 qualifying runs, Irving leading the U.S. contingent and Gray hanging on after a nervous wait. Teenager Abby Winterberger, the youngest member of Team USA at 15, missed the cut but impressed with fearless, composed runs that hinted at where this program is headed.
Feb 18, 2026; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; Gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States celebrates after the women’s slalom during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
Stat: Fresh off slalom gold on Feb. 18.
Technically, Mikaela Shiffrin’s slalom triumph came the day before, but her presence still hovered over Thursday’s coverage and conversation. Less than 24 hours after taking slalom gold, Shiffrin popped up on television again, this time as a newly crowned champion trying to find the right words and accidentally letting a couple of curse words slip on live TV.
It was a light, human moment that underscored how much emotional weight she has carried across multiple Games. With the gold finally back around her neck, Shiffrin’s blend of relief, joy, and unfiltered honesty reminded everyone just how hard these wins are to come by
RELATED: Ranking Winter Olympics legends with the most medals
Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Amber Glenn of the United States competes in the women’s free skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images
Amber Glenn turned an early disappointment into one of the day’s most compelling comeback stories. Two days after a short program left her outside medal contention, the 26-year-old delivered a sharp free skate featuring a landed triple axel and only a late bobble, earning 147-plus in the segment and a 214.91 total. She likely fell short of the podium, but her reaction, a fist pump and a stunned “oh my god” at the scores, captured a skater proving she belongs in the final flight.
Feb 19, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Abby Winterberger of the United States reacts in the women’s freestyle skiing halfpipe qualification during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Stat: 15-year-old, 72.25 and 72.50-type runs in qualifying pack; finishes 16th in freeski/pipe qualifiers.
Abby Winterberger’s scores will not jump off the medal table, but her composure absolutely did. At just 15 and the youngest member of Team USA, she handled a pressure-packed freeski halfpipe qualifying session with the kind of poise you usually see from riders a decade older.
Winterberger’s best run left her just outside the final in 16th, but the way she attacked the pipe and reacted with joy at the bottom felt like the beginning of a long Olympic story. For a deep U.S. program, having a teenager this ready on this stage is a win in its own right.
MORE: Last 10 Winter Olympics men’s ice hockey gold medal winners
Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Alysa Liu of the United States celebrates with the gold medal and the flag after the medal ceremony for the women’s free skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images
On a schedule stuffed with events, it was the American performances on ice that kept pulling the camera back. From Liu’s leap into the history books to Keller’s golden backhand and Stolz emptying the tank in pursuit of another title, Thursday felt like a series of overlapping spotlights trained on the stars in red, white, and blue.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —
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The post Team USA highlights from Thursday, February 19 at 2026 Winter Olympics appeared first on The Big Lead.
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It was the kind of day that shows the full range of Team USA’s winter identity. There was artistry and edge from the figure skaters, steel-nerved execution from the women’s hockey team, and relentless, almost stubborn effort from the speedskaters and curlers who turned deficits and fatigue into podiums and playoff berths. Everywhere you looked, Americans were either chasing history or refusing to be written out of it.
Alysa Liu’s free skate lit the fuse, sending a charge through the arena and finally breaking a decades-long drought in women’s singles. Not long after, Hilary Knight, Megan Keller, and the rest of the women’s hockey team authored a rivalry chapter that will live on highlight loops for years. Even when the script didn’t end in gold, as with Jordan Stolz’s 1,500 meters, the standard stayed sky-high. This was Team USA in full color. Young stars arriving, veterans delivering, and multiple teams keeping the medal count humming as the Games hit the home stretch.
Team USA women’s hockey claims gold in OT
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Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Team USA takes a selfie with their gold medals after defeating Canada in the women’s ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Hilary Knight dragged Team USA back from the brink with a tap-in equalizer in the final two minutes, her record 15th Olympic goal for the program. Megan Keller then finished the job with a slick backhand winner in 3-on-3 overtime, sealing a 2-1 victory and the Americans’ first women’s hockey gold since 2018 over archrival Canada. From trailing for the first time all tournament to watching coach John Wroblewski in tears on the bench, it was the full rivalry drama compressed into one unforgettable night.
Also, when Team USA needed a captain’s moment, Hilary Knight delivered one that felt inevitable and unbelievable all at once. With under two minutes left and the Americans down 1–0, Knight crashed the crease and tapped home the game-tying goal, pushing the gold-medal showdown into overtime. Goal No. 15 of her Olympic career.
Megan Keller froze time with a slick backhand in 3-on-3 overtime, beating Canada to seal a 2–1 win and deliver Team USA’s first women’s hockey gold since 2018. The bench emptied, and coach John Wroblewski was shown in tears, and a rivalry that never disappoints somehow found a new classic. Now, all eyes are on their male counterparts to make history.
U.S. women’s curling reach first semis since 2002
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Feb 19, 2026; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; Tabitha Peterson, Cory Thiesse, Tara Peterson and Taylor Anderson-Heide of the United States celebrate after defeating Switzerland in a women’s curling round robin match during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
The U.S. women’s curling team did it the hard way, but they did it. Needing a win to advance, Tabitha Peterson’s rink saw Switzerland erase a three-point deficit in the 10th end before the Americans coolly drew the winning stone in extras for a 7-6 victory. The result secured the No. 2 seed and sent Team USA into its first Olympic women’s curling semifinals in 24 years, with a real path to the podium now in front of them.
Alysa Liu ends 24-year wait in women’s singles
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Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Alysa Liu of the United States celebrates with the gold medal in the women’s free skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images
Alysa Liu turned a pressure-cooker free skate into a coronation, posting a 150.20 that launched her from third to first and secured the United States’ first women’s singles gold since 2002. It was her second gold of these Games after the team event, and the performance had everything: clean jumps, electric energy, and a raw, celebratory “that’s what I’m talking about” as the score dropped. For a skater who once stepped away at 16, this was the ultimate full-circle Olympic moment.
Jordan Stolz’s silver in a record-breaking 1,500
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[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Jordan Stolz of United States in the men’s speedskating 1500m during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Speed Skating Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Piroschka Van De Wouw/Reuters via Imagn Images
Jordan Stolz’s chase for four golds hit its first snag, but even his off-day produced another podium. Skating in the last pair of the men’s 1,500, he clawed back from a big late deficit to grab silver behind China’s Ning Zhongyan, who broke the Olympic record in 1:41.98. Already the 500 and 1,000 champion with records in both, Stolz left Milan with a third medal and one more shot in the mass start to layer onto a breakthrough Games.
DON’T MISS: 8 unique Winter Olympics rules that will surprise you
Team USA freeskiers punch tickets, show depth
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Feb 19, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Svea Irving of the United States in the women’s freestyle skiing halfpipe qualification during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
In the pipe and park, a wave of American freeski talent set up future medal shots. Svea Irving and Kate Gray both advanced to the women’s freeski halfpipe final with top-12 qualifying runs, Irving leading the U.S. contingent and Gray hanging on after a nervous wait. Teenager Abby Winterberger, the youngest member of Team USA at 15, missed the cut but impressed with fearless, composed runs that hinted at where this program is headed.
Mikaela Shiffrin’s golden glow still lingers
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Feb 18, 2026; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; Gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States celebrates after the women’s slalom during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
Stat: Fresh off slalom gold on Feb. 18.
Technically, Mikaela Shiffrin’s slalom triumph came the day before, but her presence still hovered over Thursday’s coverage and conversation. Less than 24 hours after taking slalom gold, Shiffrin popped up on television again, this time as a newly crowned champion trying to find the right words and accidentally letting a couple of curse words slip on live TV.
It was a light, human moment that underscored how much emotional weight she has carried across multiple Games. With the gold finally back around her neck, Shiffrin’s blend of relief, joy, and unfiltered honesty reminded everyone just how hard these wins are to come by
RELATED: Ranking Winter Olympics legends with the most medals
Amber Glenn delivers a statement rebound skate
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Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Amber Glenn of the United States competes in the women’s free skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images
Amber Glenn turned an early disappointment into one of the day’s most compelling comeback stories. Two days after a short program left her outside medal contention, the 26-year-old delivered a sharp free skate featuring a landed triple axel and only a late bobble, earning 147-plus in the segment and a 214.91 total. She likely fell short of the podium, but her reaction, a fist pump and a stunned “oh my god” at the scores, captured a skater proving she belongs in the final flight.
Abby Winterberger’s fearless Olympic debut
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Feb 19, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Abby Winterberger of the United States reacts in the women’s freestyle skiing halfpipe qualification during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Stat: 15-year-old, 72.25 and 72.50-type runs in qualifying pack; finishes 16th in freeski/pipe qualifiers.
Abby Winterberger’s scores will not jump off the medal table, but her composure absolutely did. At just 15 and the youngest member of Team USA, she handled a pressure-packed freeski halfpipe qualifying session with the kind of poise you usually see from riders a decade older.
Winterberger’s best run left her just outside the final in 16th, but the way she attacked the pipe and reacted with joy at the bottom felt like the beginning of a long Olympic story. For a deep U.S. program, having a teenager this ready on this stage is a win in its own right.
MORE: Last 10 Winter Olympics men’s ice hockey gold medal winners
The day the ice belonged to Team USA
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Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Alysa Liu of the United States celebrates with the gold medal and the flag after the medal ceremony for the women’s free skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images
On a schedule stuffed with events, it was the American performances on ice that kept pulling the camera back. From Liu’s leap into the history books to Keller’s golden backhand and Stolz emptying the tank in pursuit of another title, Thursday felt like a series of overlapping spotlights trained on the stars in red, white, and blue.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —
NFL: Former 49ers wide receiver announces immediate retirement from football
OLYMPICS: Mikaela Shiffrin sends 2-word message after winning Olympic gold medal
MLB: MLBPA chooses Tony Clark’s replacement one day after abrupt resignation
NFL: College quarterback who won 7 Super Bowl rings as NFL executive dies
SPORTS MEDIA: College Hall of Famer, father of Chicago Bulls coach, dies
VIRAL: Red Sox issue, retract, reissue statement about Fanatics uniform snafu
The post Team USA highlights from Thursday, February 19 at 2026 Winter Olympics appeared first on The Big Lead.
Continue reading...
