![\"Country](\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/files\/editorial\/icons\/flags\/ca.svg\")
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Men’s Quarterfinals<\/p>\n
1st Period<\/p>\n
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02\/18\/26 10:50Canada takes early control of quarterfinal against Czechia<\/p>\n
– Paul Attfield<\/p>\n
Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Macklin Celebrini of Canada scores their first goal in game against Czechia.Mike Segar\/Reuters<\/p>\n Unsurprisingly, given Canada\u2019s offensive output of late, Team Canada men\u2019s head coach Jon Cooper has done very little tinkering with his lineup ahead of Wednesday\u2019s do-or-die quarterfinal against Czechia.<\/p>\n Fresh off his two goals against France in Monday\u2019s 10-2 rout, Macklin Celebrini again teamed up with Connor McDavid and Tom Wilson on Canada\u2019s top line. The 19-year-old wasted little time picking up where he left off, taking a pass from McDavid and beating Lukas Dostal just three minutes into the game for his tournament-leading fifth goal of these Olympics.<\/p>\n That left Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby to centre the second and third units. The only change that Cooper has made to his forward lineup is with Brad Marchand returning to the lineup, with reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett dropping out.<\/p>\n On the blueline, Cooper has switched around his pairings somewhat. As a result, Drew Doughty will partner Thomas Harley against Czechia, with Colton Parayko playing alongside Travis Sanheim.<\/p>\n In goal, Jordan Binnington, who has conceded just two goals through 120 minutes of work in Milan, will again start for Canada, and will be hoping to reprise his earlier performance against Czechia. Binnington shut out the 1998 Olympic champions in Team Canada\u2019s opener, turning aside all 26 shots he faced in a 5-0 victory.<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 10:20Canada comes up short in Olympic freestyle events <\/p>\n – Eric Reguly<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Marion Th\u00e9nault placed seventh overall in women\u2019s aerials.Adam Pretty\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Canadian athletes had a dud day in Livigno in three finals \u2013 men\u2019s and women\u2019s snowboard slopestyle and women\u2019s freeski aerials.<\/p>\n Snowboarder Mark McMorris, in slopestyle, finished in eighth position, a crushing result for him. The three-time Olympic bronze medal winner was on course for a podium finish after qualifying third going into the final. But he skidded on his second run and fell on his third, killing his chances for a medal.<\/p>\n In women\u2019s aerials, Marion Th\u00e9nault, 25, of Sherbrooke, Que., did not make it into the final round of three; she placed seventh overall. Gold went to China\u2019s Xu Mengtao, who, at 35, is one of the oldest athletes in the freestyle skiing events.<\/p>\n Later on Wednesday afternoon, both Canadians in slopestyle \u2013 Juliette Pelchat, 21, of Squamish, B.C., and Quebec\u2019s Laurie Blouin, 29 \u2013 finished in the middle of the pack.<\/p>\n Slopestyle gold went to Mari Fukada, 19, of Japan, who is the current women\u2019s snowboard big air champion.<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 10:13Morrissey, Bennett scratched for quarterfinal against Czechia Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Josh Morrissey skates with the puck in the match against Czechia on Feb. 12.Gregory Shamus\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Canada defenceman Josh Morrissey and forward Sam Bennett will be scratched when the men\u2019s hockey team takes on Czechia in today\u2019s quarterfinal at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.<\/p>\n Morrissey hasn\u2019t played since exiting with an undisclosed injury early in the second period of Canada\u2019s tournament-opening 5-0 win over Czechia. Bennett missed practice yesterday for maintenance. Both players skated this morning.<\/p>\n Forward Brad Marchand, who hasn\u2019t played since Canada\u2019s first game, will draw into the lineup for Bennett. <\/p>\n – The Canadian Press<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 10:05Men\u2019s curling team improves to 7-1 after victory over Italy <\/p>\n – Rachel Brady<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Canada\u2019s men will finish round robin play versus Norway on Thursday before the semis begin.Jennifer Lorenzini\/Reuters<\/p>\n On the strength of a big steal of four in the sixth end, the Canadian men\u2019s curling team defeated Italy 8-3 on Wednesday at the Winter Olympics in front of their loud home crowd in Cortina. <\/p>\n Brad Jacobs\u2019s Canadian rink, also comprising Ben Hebert, Brett Gallant and Marc Kennedy, jumped to 7-1 in the round robin standings with the win. They also dropped Italy to 4-4, making the host nation\u2019s road a little tougher to make the playoffs.<\/p>\n Of the 10 teams in the round robin, the best performing four advance to Thursday\u2019s semifinals. Canada and Switzerland have already earned spots.<\/p>\n Italy, led by veteran skip Joel Retornaz, is among the teams still scrapping for one of those other two available berths. <\/p>\n Canada\u2019s men will finish round robin play versus Norway on Thursday before the semis begin.<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 09:43Sponsors are becoming more visible at the Winter OlympicsOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Eileen Gu of Team People’s Republic of China after competing in the women’s freeski big air final.Michael Reaves\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Eileen Gu and all the other freestyle skiers wait for their scores by a large Powerade-branded cooler, then glide away without taking a drink.<\/p>\n Bottles of the blue sports drink are stacked in hockey penalty boxes. Even the tissues in figure skating\u2019s drama-packed \u201cKiss and Cry\u201d area are branded.<\/p>\n One way the Olympics generally stand out is by the absence of advertising on courses, rinks and slopes. But increasingly at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, sponsors are creeping into the action.<\/p>\n \u201cWe continue to open up those opportunities for partners,\u201d International Olympic Committee marketing director Anne-Sophie Voumard said Wednesday, noting sponsor products can now \u201corganically be present\u201d more widely.<\/p>\n The change has seemingly accelerated since French luxury goods maker LVMH prominently placed its Louis Vuitton brand at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.<\/p>\n It\u2019s all happening as sponsors eye fresh opportunities for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.<\/p>\n The IOC is looking to create extra value in its TOP program (for the biggest partners), which has been a financial success for the organization over four decades. There are 11 TOP sponsors in Milan, after peaking at 15 in Paris. Revenue in 2025 dropped a bit to US$560-million in cash and services compared to US$871-million in 2024.<\/p>\n \u2013 The Associated Press<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 08:55Athlete stories can go untold due to shrinking media presence at Winter OlympicsOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n The Canadian media contingent is not what it used to be.Mattia Ozbot\/Getty Images<\/p>\n When Canadian curling coach Scott Pfeifer was a member of the Ferbey Four, the curling team would use the large group of reporters at big bonspiels to fuel rivalries and hype the players and the sport.<\/p>\n \u201c[We\u2019d be] lobbing bombs across the alley to the other teams,\u201d Pfeifer said with a laugh. \u201cI don\u2019t think you see that as much anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s an understatement.<\/p>\n The Canadian media contingent is not what it used to be at the curling rink or at the Winter Games. It\u2019s even more noticeable this year with the Milan Cortina Games the most spread out in Olympic history.<\/p>\n In addition to impacting the depth and quality of reporting, fewer on-site journalists means many amateur athletes are unable to share their stories.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re just not going to get that coverage that they got in previous Olympics and that is sad,\u201d USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan said Tuesday from Milan. \u201cThat\u2019s sad because this is their moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Brennan, who is covering the Olympics for the 22nd consecutive time, recalls how difficult it was to get near athletes in the mixed zone at previous Games over her career.<\/p>\n \u201cThe interview area would just be packed,\u201d she said. \u201cI mean, you\u2019d have to elbow your way in. <\/p>\n \u201cWell there\u2019s none of that here. There\u2019s plenty of room for all of us. And so that is certainly noticeable. That\u2019s a big change.\u201d<\/p>\n Rather than cover the Games in person, some outlets have reporters write stories after watching the competition remotely.<\/p>\n – The Canadian Press<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 08:30Norway\u2019s Klaebo extends Winter Olympics medal recordOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo has won every race he has entered at these Games.JAVIER SORIANO\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo\u2019s golden run at Milan Cortina continued as the Norwegian star secured his fifth gold at the Milan Cortina Olympics \u2013 and a record 10th overall \u2013 in the men\u2019s team sprint.<\/p>\n Klaebo beat back a challenge from the United States to improve on his own record tally, racing with Einar Hedegart to win in 18 minutes, 28.9 seconds.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s obviously very satisfying to make this happen,\u201d the 29-year-old Klaebo said. \u201cThe team sprint is one of the most fun events, but also one of the hardest.\u201d<\/p>\n Klaebo has won every race he has entered at these Games, breaking the Winter Olympics record in Sunday\u2019s 4 x 7.5-kilometre relay. <\/p>\n His final race will be in the 50-kilometre mass start this weekend.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are so many strong teams and so many fast skiers, so it always comes down to tight battles,\u201d Klaebo added. \u201cThat makes it even more rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\n – The Associated Press<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 07:55Natalie Spooner taste-testing her way through the Olympic VillageOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Natalie Spooner has been sharing reviews on social media of some of the things she eats, ranging from chocolate pudding to pizza topped with potatoes.Gregory Shamus\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Natalie Spooner isn\u2019t just at the Milan Cortina Olympics to bring home another medal. <\/p>\n The Toronto hockey player is determined to make the most of her time at the Olympic Village \u2013 one bite at a time. <\/p>\n When she\u2019s not on the ice, the 35-year-old has made it her mission to taste-test her way through the Games and share reviews on social media of some of the things she eats, ranging from chocolate pudding to pizza topped with potatoes.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy is there potato on a pizza? I guess in Canada we say, \u2018Does pineapple belong on pizza?\u2019\u201d Spooner says in one post, smiling as she takes a bite. \u201cHere, it\u2019s, \u2018Does potato belong on pizza?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The food in the Olympic Village has gone viral in more ways than one. The IOC announced in October that it had created a special pasta noodle shaped like the five Olympic rings. <\/p>\n The limited-edition dish was later served to the athletes in the village, resulting in a flood of social media comments from fans calling for the pasta to be available for the public to buy.<\/p>\n But for Spooner, a self-proclaimed \u201cchocolate monster,\u201d the sweet treats are definitely the highlight of the Olympic Village cuisine. <\/p>\n \u201cThis might be the best thing yet that I\u2019ve found,\u201d Spooner says in one video where she tries an Italian chocolate spread with a croissant. \u201cThat\u2019s really good.\u201d<\/p>\n Another post shows Spooner trying a chocolate lava cake, something she says is \u201cfamous\u201d around the village.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is what I\u2019ve been waiting for,\u201d she says with a smile. \u201cIt\u2019s gooey, it\u2019s chocolatey \u2026 this is like hitting the spot right now.\u201d<\/p>\n But not every dessert gets a gold medal \u2013 in one video, Spooner tries a chocolate souffl\u00e9, which she rates three out of 10.<\/p>\n \u201cI would say this is a hockey puck,\u201d Spooner laughs.<\/p>\n – The Canadian Press<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 07:30With a star turn at the Olympics, Celebrini is becoming a celebrity<\/p>\n – Grant Robertson<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Not just the breakout star of the Olympics, Macklin Celebrini has emerged as the heir apparent to a post-Crosby, post-McDavid world.Gregory Shamus\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Before Team Canada stepped on the ice for its first practice at the Milan Cortina Olympics last week, two players emerged from the arena tunnel early, ahead of everyone else.<\/p>\n And for a few minutes, the ice belonged to them.<\/p>\n There was Connor McDavid, the world\u2019s best hockey player, stone-faced and business-like, testing out the fresh ice. And there was Macklin Celebrini, the 19-year-old NHL sophomore, snapping pucks off the crossbar.<\/p>\n At that moment, Celebrini was still a question.<\/p>\n In the midst of a remarkable second NHL season where he sits fourth in league points, Celebrini had played his way onto Canada\u2019s roster at a precocious age. He wasn\u2019t yet four years old when Sidney Crosby scored the golden goal to win the 2010 Winter Games, but here he was at a best-on-best Olympics. How would he fare on a roster of elite superstars?<\/p>\n Three games into the tournament, there is no question.<\/p>\n The ice once again belongs to McDavid and Celebrini with 15 points between them \u2013 nine for McDavid and six for Celebrini. But it\u2019s the rise of the kid from North Vancouver that is commanding the most attention.<\/p>\n Not just the breakout star of the Olympics, he has emerged as the heir apparent to a post-Crosby, post-McDavid world. Hockey has seen the future, and it is Celebrini. <\/p>\n Read the full story here.<\/a><\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 07:05McMorris misses shot at podium in snowboard slopestyle<\/p>\n – Eric Reguly<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n The three-time bronze medalist from Regina skidded on his second run and fell on his third.David Ramos\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Mark McMorris\u2019s quest for gold in his fourth Olympics did not go his way.<\/p>\n In the men\u2019s snowboard slopestyle final in Livigno, the three-time Olympic bronze medalist from Regina skidded on his second run and fell on his third, putting him eighth overall among a field of 12 athletes.<\/p>\n He had gone into the final with high hopes for a podium finish, having qualified in third place going into Wednesday\u2019s medal round.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m feeling pretty beat up, mentally and physically, but proud of my efforts and really, really proud to have made it to my fourth Olympics,\u201d he told reporters after the competition. \u201cI worked my ass off to be here, I have the tricks to do so. But in sports, it doesn\u2019t always go your way … This is really hard to swallow.\u201d<\/p>\n He told reporters that, in spite of age \u2013 he\u2019s 32 \u2013 and a 16-year snowboarding career, he wants to stay in the game. \u201cI don\u2019t plan to stop anytime soon,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n When asked if Milan Cortina is his last Olympics, all he said was, \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n His colleague, Cameron Spalding, 20, of Peterborough, Ont., placed tenth in the slopestyle final.<\/p>\n Read the full story here.<\/a><\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 06:55Women\u2019s, men\u2019s cross-country skiers finish sixthOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Liliane Gagnon of Canada and Julie Bjervig Drivenes of Norway during the women’s team sprint free final.Stephanie Lecocq\/Reuters<\/p>\n Canada\u2019s cross-country skiers have finished sixth in the final of the women\u2019s team sprint free.<\/p>\n The team of Liliane Gagnon and Alison Mackie finished in a time of 20 minutes, 49.43 seconds.<\/p>\n Sweden, Switzerland and Germany topped the podium.<\/p>\n Men\u2019s cross-country skiers duplicated the women\u2019s result, with a sixth in the men\u2019s team sprint free.<\/p>\n Antoine Cyr and Xavier McKeever were Canada\u2019s team.<\/p>\n Norway, the United States and Italy were first, second and third, respectively.<\/p>\n – The Canadian Press<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 06:45Weidemann, Maltais signal changing of the guard after team pursuit triumphOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Ivanie Blondin, Val\u00e9rie Maltais and Isabelle Weidemann secured Canada\u2019s first speed skating gold of the Milano Cortina Games.Dean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Isabelle Weidemann and Val\u00e9rie Maltais said they are ready to pass the torch to the next wave of Canadian talent in the team pursuit speed skating event after successfully defending the women\u2019s Olympic title alongside Ivanie Blondin on Tuesday. <\/p>\n The trio \u2013 who also powered Canada to gold in Beijing 2022 \u2013 stopped the clock at two minutes 55.81 seconds, finishing 0.96 seconds ahead of the Netherlands to secure Canada\u2019s first speed skating gold of the Milano Cortina Games. <\/p>\n \u201cWe skated together for eight years. I don\u2019t think there are a lot of other teams that haven\u2019t changed their team over the last eight years,\u201d Weidemann, who also won silver in the 5,000-metre and bronze in the 3,000-metre at Beijing, said.<\/p>\n \u201cDefending together meant a lot, but I also think we knew going in that we need to pass the torch a little bit. There\u2019s another generation of Canadian speed skaters coming up and we\u2019re really excited to watch them.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve done a lot for the team pursuit, the three of us. We\u2019re ready to watch the next generation. I\u2019m proud of where we\u2019re leaving speed skating in Canada. We\u2019ve paved the road a little bit with this team.\u201d<\/p>\n Maltais, 35, agreed they would not be competing at the next Olympics.<\/p>\n \u201cThe future? I think we\u2019re not going to be there in four years,\u201d Maltais said with a laugh. \u201cThat\u2019s the straight answer. Isabelle, at the end of the race, when we still had our skates on, she was like, \u2019so this is it?\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n While Blondin, also 35, has not confirmed whether she will continue competing after these Games, she said she plans to remain involved with Speed Skating Canada in some capacity. <\/p>\n – Reuters<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 06:33Who let the dog out? Husky gatecrashes team sprintOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n An Omega photofinish camera captures a dog crossing the finish line after it ran onto the cross-country course during the competition.Omega\/via Reuters<\/p>\n A husky with lots of enthusiasm but no credentials gatecrashed a women\u2019s team sprint cross-country race, giving an impromptu performance that had spectators howling with delight.<\/p>\n The dog wandered onto the stadium course in Tesero during the qualifying event, spotted a couple of athletes on the finishing straight and decided to join the action.<\/p>\n The canine sniffed around for a bit before racing across the line ahead of the skiers to wild cheers from a crowd clearly entertained by the unexpected addition to the field.<\/p>\n Officials eventually got hold of the tail-wagging interloper but not before timekeepers preparing for a photo-finish in the race captured an image of the dog crossing the line.<\/p>\n – Reuters<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 06:27Marion Th\u00e9nault advances to final in freestyle skiing aerialsOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Marion Th\u00e9nault was the only athlete to break 100 points with her jump.Patrick Smith\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Canada\u2019s Marion Th\u00e9nault has topped the first qualifier in the women\u2019s freestyle skiing aerials.<\/p>\n The 25-year-old was the only athlete to break 100 points with her jump, and has advanced straight to the final later today.<\/p>\n Th\u00e9nault won a bronze medal with Miha Fontaine and Lewis Irving in the mixed team aerials event in Beijing 2022. <\/p>\n – The Canadian Press<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 06:14Gold medal game a moment of truth for Canada\u2019s women\u2019s hockey roster<\/p>\n – Grant Robertson<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Canadian coach Troy Ryan’s database played a key role in the construction of the women’s roster for these Olympic Games. That gets put to the test in Thursday’s gold medal game against the U.S.AMBER SEARLS\/Reuters<\/p>\n Troy Ryan keeps a massive database on his laptop computer that the head coach of Canada\u2019s women\u2019s hockey team uses to keep track of which players excel in different game situations.<\/p>\n Everything is tracked, colour-coded and codified: Five-on-five, short-handed, up a goal, down a goal, net front, shootouts, the last two minutes of a game, situations that call for physicality, moments that demand leadership. The list goes on and on.<\/p>\n \u201cI think a lot of coaches think that way, but maybe don\u2019t document it,\u201d Ryan said in an interview before the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. \u201cWhen you\u2019re in tough decisions, you go back to it and you go, \u2018We need someone that can play this role \u2013 has anything changed here?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The database approach helped Ryan and Team Canada general manager Gina Kingsbury select the women\u2019s roster for Milan.<\/p>\n As Kingsbury describes it, Canada\u2019s brain trust would go player-by-player and ask themselves bluntly: would we play this person in this situation \u2013 yes, no, maybe?<\/p>\n This week, that database is about to have its moment of truth.<\/p>\n On Thursday, Team Canada will face the United States in the gold medal game, and Canada\u2019s roster construction will be put to the test.<\/p>\n Read the full story here.<\/a><\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 05:40Men\u2019s and women\u2019s curling teams face ItalyOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Team Brad Jacobs improved to 6-1 and secured a spot in the playoffs.Mattia Ozbot\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Canada\u2019s men\u2019s and women\u2019s curling teams each face Italy in round-robin play. <\/p>\n Brad Jacobs\u2019 rink improved to 6-1 and secured a spot in the playoffs with Tuesday\u2019s 9-5 win over Great Britain. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, Rachel Homan\u2019s side saw some early struggles with a three-game losing skid but snapped that with a trio of wins, including an 8-6 victory over previously unbeaten Sweden on Tuesday.<\/p>\n – The Canadian Press<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 05:34Blouin looks to return to the podium, Pelchat makes Games debutOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Laurie Blouin, an Olympic silver medalist in 2018, is chasing another podium.JEFF PACHOUD\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Weather delays reshuffled the schedule in Livigno, where Laurie Blouin and Juliette Pelchat are set for the postponed women\u2019s snowboard slopestyle final. <\/p>\n Blouin, an Olympic silver medalist in 2018, is chasing another podium, while Pelchat is making her Games debut. <\/p>\n The women\u2019s freestyle aerials competition was also pushed back after poor visibility halted qualifying.<\/p>\n – The Canadian Press<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 05:25Canada men continue march for hockey goldOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n The Canadians are set to face Czechia in the men\u2019s hockey tournament in a rematch of their tournament opener.GEOFF BURKE\/Reuters<\/p>\n Team Canada takes on Czechia in the quarterfinals of the men\u2019s hockey tournament after earning a bye as the top seed. <\/p>\n The Canadians opened the tournament with a 5-0 win over the Czechs and finished undefeated in three Group A games, outscoring opponents 20-3. <\/p>\n There is some concern ahead of the knockout round, however, with Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett missing Tuesday\u2019s practice for what the team described as \u201cmaintenance days.\u201d<\/p>\n – The Canadian Press<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 05:09Sarault seeks fourth medal at OlympicsOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Courtney Sarault durinng the women’s 1,000m short-track speed skating event on Saturday.Nathan Denette\/The Canadian Press<\/p>\n Moncton\u2019s Courtney Sarault will be in pursuit of her fourth Olympic medal when she leads Canada into the women\u2019s 3,000-metre short-track speedskating relay final. <\/p>\n The Canadians team, with Kim Boutin, Florence Brunelle and Danae Blais, finished second in their semifinal heat on Saturday to South Korea by 0.127 seconds. Italy and the Netherlands are also in the final. <\/p>\n William Dandjinou leads the Canadian contingent into the men\u2019s 500 quarterfinals.<\/p>\n – The Canadian Press<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 05:06McMorris looking for 4th-straight slopestyle medalOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Mark McMorris competes in run one of the men’s slopestyle final.Hannah Peters\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Mark McMorris is aiming for a fourth-straight medal in the men\u2019s snowboard slopestyle final starting at 5:20 a.m. ET. The 32-year-old from Regina was only cleared to compete last Thursday, but cruised through qualifiers on Sunday to finish third and advance. <\/p>\n His Feb. 4 training crash left him with a concussion, pelvic bone bruising and strained abdominal muscles after being stretchered off the course. McMorris has won bronze in this event each of the last three Olympics.<\/p>\n – The Canadian Press<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 05:00Today\u2019s Olympic schedule and event start times<\/p>\n – Globe staff<\/p>\n It\u2019s another packed day in Italy as the men\u2019s hockey team play Czechia in one of four quarterfinals happening today and more Canadian Olympians try to get on the podium.<\/p>\n On the slopes, Mark McMorris is snowboarding for his fourth-straight Olympic medal in men\u2019s slopestyle, while Juliette Pelchat and Laurie Blouin are in the women\u2019s final after it was rescheduled due to heavy snow yesterday.<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Juliette Pelchat in action during women’s snowboard slopestyle qualification on Feb. 15.Dylan Martinez\/Reuters<\/p>\n On the ice, Courtney Sarault, Florence Brunelle and Kim Boutin are looking for another short-track medal, this time in the women\u2019s 3,000m relay, and William Dandjinou is skating for a chance at his first Olympic podium in the men\u2019s 500m.<\/p>\n Here are the events to watch for, and you can find the full schedule here<\/a>. <\/p>\n 3:45 a.m. ET – Cross-country women\u2019s freestyle team sprint qualifying (Canada competing)4 a.m. ET – Alpine skiing women\u2019s slalom qualifying (Laurence St-Germain among Canadians)4 a.m. ET – Freestyle skiing women\u2019s aerials qualification (Canada\u2019s Marion Thenault)4:15 a.m. ET – Cross-country men\u2019s freestyle team sprint (Canada competing)8:05 a.m. ET – Canada vs. Italy men\u2019s curling round-robin10:40 a.m. ET – Canada vs. Czechia men\u2019s hockey quarterfinal1:05 p.m. ET – Canada vs. Italy women\u2019s curling round-robin2:15 p.m. ET – Short track men\u2019s 500m quarterfinals (Canada\u2019s William Dandjinou, Steven Dubois and Maxime Laoun)3:10 p.m. ET – United States vs. Sweden men\u2019s hockey quarterfinal<\/p>\n Medal events:<\/p>\n 5:20 a.m. ET – Snowboard men\u2019s slopestyle (Canada\u2019s Mark McMorris and Cameron Spalding)5:45 a.m. ET – Cross-country women\u2019s freestyle team sprint6:15 a.m. ET – Cross-country men\u2019s freestyle team sprint7:30 a.m. ET – Women\u2019s alpine skiing slalom8 a.m. ET – Freestyle skiing women\u2019s aerials8:30 a.m. ET – Snowboard women\u2019s slopestyle (Canada\u2019s Juliette Pelchat and Laurie Blouin)8:45 a.m. ET – Biathlon women\u2019s 4x6km relay (Canada competing)2:51 p.m. ET – Short-track women\u2019s 3000m relay (Canada competing)3:27 p.m. ET – Short track men\u2019s 500m 02\/18\/26 05:00Where to watch the Olympics in Canada<\/p>\n – Globe staff<\/p>\n CBC is Canada\u2019s official Olympic broadcaster. The 2026 Winter Games will be available to watch on CBC through your TV provider, or to stream for free on the CBC Gem app or at CBCGem.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n You can also follow The Globe and Mail\u2019s live coverage<\/a> of all the latest news and analysis of the Games, on our website<\/a> or mobile app.<\/p>\n 02\/18\/26 05:00Your guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics<\/p>\n – Globe staff<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n A spectator wears Olympic ring glasses at Milano Ice Skating Arena.Elsa\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics<\/a> have begun and are poised to be historic in more ways than one, as Team Canada and the world\u2019s best athletes converge in northern Italy.<\/p>\n From hockey to figure skating and the debut of ski mountaineering, the competition will be nothing short of thrilling. But at the most geographically widespread<\/a> edition of the Winter Games ever, international tensions \u2013 particularly toward the United States \u2013 will also be on full display.<\/p>\n