In a defining 24-hour span for Team USA at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games, two of America’s biggest winter sports stars delivered career-defining performances. Mikaela Shiffrin captured a historic gold medal in the women’s slalom, shattering an eight-year Olympic drought with a dominant victory that reasserted her status as the greatest alpine skier of all time. Hours later, captain Quinn Hughes played the hero for the U.S. men’s hockey team, burying a dramatic overtime winner to defeat Sweden 2-1 and vault the Americans into the Olympic semifinals. As the 2026 Winter Olympics medal count continues to climb, Wednesday’s results will be remembered as a turning point for the Stars and Stripes.

Mikaela Shiffrin Strikes Slalom Gold in Redemption Run

The weight of the world was on Mikaela Shiffrin’s shoulders as she stood in the starting gate at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. After a disappointing start to the Milano Cortina games and a well-documented struggle in Beijing four years ago, the 30-year-old icon silenced every critic with a performance for the ages. Shiffrin won the Mikaela Shiffrin gold medal slalom event with a combined time of 1:39.10, finishing a massive 1.50 seconds ahead of silver medalist Camille Rast of Switzerland.

Shiffrin’s victory was a masterclass in technical precision. Holding a precarious lead after the first run, she didn't ski to protect it—she attacked. Her second run was flawless, carving through the deteriorating course with an aggression that left the rest of the field fighting for second place. Sweden’s Anna Swenn-Larsson took bronze, but the day belonged entirely to the American.

A Spiritual Victory

Crossing the finish line, Shiffrin didn’t immediately celebrate. She crouched low, head bowed, overcome by emotion before punching the air in a mix of relief and triumph. In post-race interviews, she described the moment as "spiritual," citing a connection to her late father, Jeff. This victory makes her the only American alpine skier to win three Olympic gold medals, cementing a legacy that transcends the sport. "I wanted to be free, I wanted to unleash," she told reporters, and on the slopes of Cortina, she did exactly that.

Quinn Hughes Powers Hockey to Semifinals in Overtime Thriller

While Shiffrin was making history on the slopes, the U.S. men’s hockey team faced its stiffest test yet inside the Milano Santagiulia Arena. In a quarterfinal clash of titans, the Americans battled a star-studded Swedish roster to a standstill before Quinn Hughes overtime goal Sweden became the headline of the night. The 2-1 victory kept Team USA’s undefeated record (4-0-0) alive and set the stage for a medal push.

The game was a defensive grind, with American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Sweden’s Jacob Markstrom trading spectacular saves. Dylan Larkin broke the deadlock midway through the second period, deflecting a shot to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead. It looked like that single goal might stand until Sweden’s Mika Zibanejad fired a one-timer past Hellebuyck with just 91 seconds left in regulation, forcing the game into sudden-death overtime.

In the 3-on-3 extra session, open ice became the difference-maker. Three minutes in, Hughes waved off a line change, carried the puck into the high slot, and whipped a wrist shot off the post and in. The goal sparked a frenzied celebration as the American bench cleared to mob their captain. "Just relief," Hughes said of the moment, which kept the dream of the first U.S. men’s hockey gold since 1980 alive.

Semifinal Showdown: USA vs. Slovakia Schedule

The path to the gold medal game is now set. With the quarterfinal victory, the Americans advance to the Team USA Olympic hockey semifinals, where they will face a dangerous Slovakia team. The Slovaks have been the tournament’s dark horse, coming off a decisive 6-2 win over Germany. The USA vs Slovakia hockey schedule is confirmed for Friday, February 20, at 3:10 PM ET (9:10 PM local time in Milan).

The other semifinal matchup will feature Canada taking on Finland earlier in the day. If both North American powerhouses win, fans will get the dream gold medal matchup they have been craving. However, the U.S. cannot look past Slovakia, a team that has proven it can punish mistakes with speed and physicality.

Medal Count and Milano Cortina Highlights

As the second week of the Games heats up, the Milano Cortina 2026 highlights are dominated by Norway’s continued dominance atop the leaderboard, but Team USA is firmly in the hunt for a podium finish in the overall standings. As of Thursday morning, the U.S. sits third in the total medal count with 24 medals (7 Gold, 11 Silver, 6 Bronze), trailing only Norway and Italy.

With Olympic Winter Games results today reshaping the leaderboard, Shiffrin’s gold and the hockey team’s advancement have provided a crucial mid-week boost. Upcoming events in figure skating and bobsled offer more chances for American hardware, but for now, the spotlight remains fixed on a skier who found her redemption and a hockey captain who refused to let his team lose.