MILAN (AP) — The men's hockey semifinals at the Milan Cortina Olympics feature Canada against Finland before the United States faces Slovakia. In curling, the men's bronze medal game will be held as well as the women's semifinals.
Here is a guide of what to look out for on Friday:
How to watch the Milan Cortina Olympics
Viewers around the world can watch on official broadcasters, including NBC and streaming on Peacock and NBC Olympics platforms.
Men's hockey semifinals: Canada-Finland, US-Slovakia
Tournament favorite Canada faces Finland and a lingering question is the status of captain Sidney Crosby when the puck drops at 4:40 p.m. local time (1540 GMT, 10:40 a.m. ET). The 38-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins star left Canada's quarterfinal game against Czechia with an apparent leg injury.
Crosby did not participate in an optional practice Thursday, when coach Jon Cooper said, "We’ll know more in 24 hours.” Look for Connor McDavid to take on an even greater leadership role.
Canada beat the Czechs 4-3 in overtime Wednesday. Finland reached the last four by rallying to beat Switzerland 3-2 — also in overtime.
The U.S. also needed overtime to advance. The Americans topped Sweden 2-1 on Quinn Hughes' winner. Hughes and his brother Jack have consistently been the best U.S. players.
Juraj Slafkovsky, an emerging star with the Montreal Canadiens, is the leading scorer for a Slovakian team playing the underdog role. Slovakia beat Germany 6-2 in the quarterfinals.
The U.S.-Slovakia game is scheduled to begin at 9:10 p.m. (2010 GMT, 3:10 p.m. ET).
Japanese speedskater Takagi eyes elusive gold in 1,500 meters
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Japanese speedskating star Miho Takagi again goes for gold in the women’s 1,500 meters, seven years after setting the world record at the distance.
Takagi won consecutive silver medals in the 1,500 meters at the past two Olympics — finishing second to Dutch great Ireen Wüst both times. Wüst retired after the 2022 Beijing Games.
Takagi's three bronze medals so far in Milan have raised her career total to 10 Olympic medals.
Femke Kok will try to add to her medal haul, too. At these Games, she has won gold in the 500 and silver in the 1,000 for the Netherlands.
Also expected to line up at Milano Speed Skating Stadium at 4:30 p.m. local time (1530 GMT, 10:30 a.m. ET) are Dutch skater Antoinette Rijpma-De Jong, who won the 1,500 bronze medal in Beijing, and 37-year-old Brittany Bowe, a two-time bronze medalist at past Olympics who says this will be her final Games.
On Wednesday, Bowe posted a video of her getting engaged to U.S. women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight.
Curling: women’s semifinals, men's bronze medal game
In the women's curling semifinals on Friday, Canada faces Sweden at the same time the U.S. plays Switzerland. The games are scheduled to begin at at 2:05 p.m. local time (1305 GMT, 8:05 a.m. ET).
Also Friday, the men's bronze medal match is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. local time (1805 GMT, 1:05 p.m. ET). The teams will be determined from the outcome of Thursday night's semifinal games: Canada vs. Norway and Switzerland vs. Britain.
The men's gold medal game is Saturday; the women's final is Sunday.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
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