At the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Saturday in Milan, 21-year-old Jordan Stolz of the United States won the men’s 500m speedskating title in an Olympic-record 33.77 seconds, claiming his second gold of the Games. In ice hockey pool play the U.S. men beat Denmark 6-3, with six different American skaters scoring and a dominant 47–21 advantage in shots. The U.S. women’s curling squad continued its strong round-robin run with a 7-4 victory over Japan, while U.S. freeskiers failed to reach the Big Air final. Coverage continues on NBC and Peacock through the Feb. 6–22 Games.
Key takeaways
- Jordan Stolz (Kewaskum, Wisconsin) won the men’s 500m in 33.77, an Olympic record and his second gold at Milano Cortina 2026.
- Stolz edged Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands, who recorded 33.88 for silver; Laurent Dubreuil took bronze on the podium.
- Team USA men’s hockey defeated Denmark 6-3 in pool play; six American players scored: Matt Boldy, Brady Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin, Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes.
- The U.S. outshot Denmark 47–21; goaltender Jeremy Swayman faced 12 shots and conceded three goals, while Mads Sogaard faced 31 and allowed four.
- Denmark replaced Sogaard with Frederik Dichow late in the third period; Jack Hughes added a late breakaway goal that closed scoring at 6-3.
- U.S. women’s curling beat Japan 7-4 as Tara Peterson stole three in the eighth end; Team USA sits 3-1 in round-robin play behind Sweden (3-0).
- All four American freeski Big Air competitors failed to advance; Grace Henderson placed 14th and missed a 12-skater final.
Background
The Milano Cortina Games opened Feb. 6 and run through Feb. 22, with NBC and Peacock carrying U.S. coverage. These Olympics have highlighted a mix of established champions and rising young Americans across multiple disciplines, and Saturday’s results underscored that dynamic: a 21-year-old speedskater breaking a Games record while veteran NHL stars lead the national hockey squad.
Jordan Stolz entered the winter Games as one of the most watched young speedskaters after earlier success on the World Cup circuit; his 500m victory places him partway toward matching historic single-Games medal hauls—Eric Heiden’s five golds at Lake Placid in 1980 remain a benchmark. In men’s ice hockey, national teams are using the tournament pool stage to set seeding and momentum for knockout rounds; Team USA’s 2-0 pool mark reflects early consistency but not yet elimination-round pressure.
Main event
Stolz captured gold in the men’s 500m at Milano Speed Skating Stadium with a time of 33.77 seconds, an Olympic record, finishing ahead of Jenning de Boo (33.88) of the Netherlands and Laurent Dubreuil of Canada. Stolz’s win is his second Olympic gold at these Games; he is slated to race the 1,500m later in the week and participate in the mass start next weekend.
In Milan’s ice hockey program, the United States opened with a fast pace but faced intermittent resistance from Denmark. Denmark scored early through Nick Olesen and at times closed the gap, but the U.S. regained control across the second and third periods, scoring five goals after the first intermission to seal a 6-3 victory.
Six Americans found the net: Matt Boldy, Brady Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin, Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes. A key late substitution by Denmark—bringing Frederik Dichow in goal for Mads Sogaard—did not change the outcome; Hughes’ late breakaway banked home off the goalie to complete the scoring. The U.S. will next face Germany on Sunday at 3:10 p.m. ET as pool play continues.
Analysis & implications
Stolz’s Olympic-record 33.77 is significant on several levels. It establishes him as the short-distance favorite for the remainder of these Games and signals continued American depth in speedskating. Winning two golds by age 21 also puts Stolz in rare company historically, and his scheduled entries in the 1,500m and mass start offer additional medal upside and narrative opportunities for U.S. speedskating.
For Team USA hockey, the 6-3 scoreline and 47–21 shot differential suggest sustained offensive pressure and zone time that outmatched Denmark. Scoring depth—six different goal scorers—reduces dependence on a single star line and is a positive indicator for tournament longevity. Special teams, goaltending under screens, and defensive coverage on opposing transition plays will be key focus areas as the U.S. prepares for tougher group opponents.
U.S. women’s curling’s 7-4 win over Japan highlights the Petterson sisters’ capacity to turn close matches with timely steals; stealing three in a single end swung the contest decisively. Conversely, the freeski Big Air results signal a performance gap in that event for American athletes on this day, emphasizing the variability and high-risk nature of judged freestyle events.
Comparison & data
| Event | Top U.S. Result | Notable stat |
|---|---|---|
| Speedskating — Men’s 500m | Jordan Stolz — 33.77 (OR) | Olympic record time |
| Ice hockey — USA vs DEN | USA 6–3 Denmark | Shots: USA 47, DEN 21; 6 American goal scorers |
| Curling — Women’s round-robin | USA 7–4 Japan | USA stands 3–1 (Sweden 3–0) |
The numbers above show contrasting profiles: a single record-setting individual performance in speedskating and broad-team production in hockey. Stolz’s time is now the benchmark for the event at these Games; the hockey shot margin underscores territorial control despite intermittent lapses that allowed Denmark to remain competitive.
Reactions & quotes
“Five goals over the final two periods put the result beyond doubt,”
Yahoo Sports live update summary
“Stolz recorded an Olympic-record 33.77 to take the 500m title,”
Event result summary (Milan speed skating)
“Tara Peterson’s three-steal in the eighth end changed the match’s momentum and decided the outcome,”
Match report — U.S. women’s curling
Unconfirmed
- Whether Jeremy Swayman’s conceded goals were directly the result of teammate screening is an observational assessment rather than an official ruling.
- Reasons for Denmark’s late goalie switch (Mads Sogaard to Frederik Dichow) were not detailed in postgame reports; team management did not provide an immediate public explanation.
- Exact split times and lap-by-lap data for Stolz’s 500m run beyond the final time have not been published in the cited live coverage.
Bottom line
Saturday’s results combined an individual milestone and solid team performance: Jordan Stolz’s Olympic-record 500m win cements him as a breakout star of Milano Cortina 2026, while the U.S. men’s hockey team demonstrated scoring depth and territorial control in a 6-3 win over Denmark. Both storylines will shape U.S. expectations as the Games move toward knockout rounds and additional speedskating finals.
Watch for Stolz’s 1,500m race later this week and for the U.S. hockey squad to meet Germany on Sunday; those outcomes will clarify medal prospects and seeding implications as the tournament progresses. Continued attention to goaltending details, special teams and athlete recovery will be decisive for both individual and team campaigns.