WHAT TO WATCH: Big rematches in women’s hockey, snowboarding
Feb 12, 2022, 7:48 PM | Updated: Feb 13, 2022, 9:50 am
Finland goalkeeper Anni Keisala (36) covers up puck as Julia Liikala (27) and United States' Kendall Coyne Schofield (26) watch for the rebound during a preliminary round women's hockey game at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
(AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
BEIJING (AP) — It’s a big day for rematches at the Beijing Olympics: The United States faces Finland in women’s hockey, and Max Parrot takes on Mark McMorris in snowboarding.
The U.S. beat Finland 5-2 to start the tournament, and the teams will clash again in the semifinals, live on USA Network on Monday at 8 a.m. EST. Parrot beat McMorris in slopestyle — McMorris took issue with the judging — and now they compete again in big air. NBC plans to air that final live during its late-night coverage.
During prime time, NBC will have live coverage of the women’s downhill, which could be quite a comeback story for defending champ Sofia Goggia of Italy. Also, the freestyle skiing slopestyle event featuring Eileen Gu was pushed back because of the weather. The final is now set to be shown live Monday night on USA Network.
Here are some things to watch (all times Eastern):
HOCKEY
It was a slow start for Finland in the women’s hockey tournament. The 2018 bronze medalists had to open against the U.S. and Canada and lost those games by a combined 16-3. The Finns then lost to Switzerland.
Now, however, they enter the semifinals on the heels of a 7-1 rout of Japan.
Although USA Network will carry the U.S.-Finland rematch live, it will also be on that same channel at 3 p.m.
TAKE TWO
Gu is a U.S native who competes for China, where her mother is from. She’s become one of the stars of the Beijing Games, winning gold in big air already.
Qualifying for her rescheduled slopestyle event will be on NBC in the afternoon. The first run of the final is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. USA Network is showing live coverage of the final, and NBC plans to show it during its late-night slot.
SNOWBOARDING
After Parrot took the gold in slopestyle, McMorris said: “Obviously would have been nice to have a different shade of medal. But knowing that I kind of had the run of the day and one of the best rounds of my life and the whole industry knows what happened — pretty, pretty crazy.”
McMorris later apologized to Parrot, who said it was no big deal. The two both compete for Canada.
USA Network plans to show men’s big air qualifying between 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. NBC is set to show the final live during late-night coverage.
NBC will also have live coverage of the women’s big air final in prime time.
ALPINE SKIING
Mikaela Shiffrin is still seeking her first medal of these Games. The downhill is by no means the American star’s strongest event, if she ends up racing in it.
Goggia is coming off a pre-Olympic crash that left her with a sprained left knee, a partially torn cruciate ligament, a fracture of the fibula bone in her leg, as well as some tendon damage. She still managed to make it to the Beijing Games and participate in training for the downhill.
“For me, Olympic Games are everything, the place that you want to be to achieve your childhood dream,” Goggia said. “There is no place I’d rather be than here. I don’t care about my condition.”
ALSO OF NOTE
NBC is planning to show the men’s team ski jumping competition on the large hill in the afternoon. … The women’s freestyle aerials will air live early in the morning on USA Network, with an encore presentation on NBC in prime time. … USA Network will have the men’s and women’s team pursuit finals in speedskating live as part of late-night coverage.
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Follow Noah Trister at https://www.twitter.com/noahtrister
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