Canada beats old rival USA 3-2 to win gold in women's ice hockey final

Day 13 of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

By Aditi Sangal, Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton, Ben Morse, Matias Grez, Jack Bantock and Patrick Sung, CNN

Updated 0218 GMT (1018 HKT) February 18, 2022
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1:23 a.m. ET, February 17, 2022

Canada beats old rival USA 3-2 to win gold in women's ice hockey final

The United States and Canada went head to head again in the women's ice hockey gold medal match on Thursday.
The United States and Canada went head to head again in the women's ice hockey gold medal match on Thursday. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Canada is the new women's Olympic ice hockey champion after securing a 3-2 victory in Beijing on Thursday over their old rivals, the USA.

The win is sweet revenge for the Canadian team, which lost to the US in the gold medal game in Pyeongchang four years ago.

1:20 a.m. ET, February 17, 2022

American skier Mikaela Shiffrin crashes out of alpine combined slalom

American skier Mikaela Shiffrin falls during her run in the slalom portion of the combined event on Thursday.
American skier Mikaela Shiffrin falls during her run in the slalom portion of the combined event on Thursday. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters)

It's another disappointment for Team USA's Mikaela Shiffrin, who crashed out of the alpine combined slalom after a strong start.

The event combines a downhill portion followed by the slalom. Shiffrin placed fifth in the downhill, a solid position with a chance at the podium — but slid off course during the slalom, taking her out of the running.

She had a difficult start to the Games, crashing out of her first two events.

Czech skier Ester Ledecká is currently in the lead.

1:02 a.m. ET, February 17, 2022

Here's how women's figure skating is now scored (and why stamina often leads to more points)

From CNN's Holly Yan

Gone are the days when Olympic figure skating was scored solely at the judges' discretion, with subjective points awarded on a 6.0 scale.

2002 Olympic figure skating scandal — with allegations of score-fixing — upended the sport and led to a complete overhaul of the scoring system — one that awards more points for stamina and strenuous athletic feats.

Now, another Olympic skating controversy has gripped die-hard and casual fans alike.

Gold-medal favorite Kamila Valieva, 15, gave a test sample that later tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine on December 25, the day she won the Russian national championship.

Valieva was allowed to compete for more gold in the Olympic women's individual figure skating event. Her routine for the free skate — the final portion of the women's competition — features quadruple jumps that are untouchable by most of her competitors.

Here's how the sport has evolved in recent years to reward increased athleticism and stamina:

More difficult jumps = more points: In 2004, the International Skating Union ditched the subjective "6.0" scoring system for the more rubric-based International Judging System that gives certain base points for jumps depending on their degree of difficulty and how many times the skater rotates in the air.

After each jump, skaters can gain or lose points from the base value depending on the grade of execution — how well or poorly they executed the jump.

All those numbers are part of the technical score. There's also the presentation score, which rewards artistry and skating skills between jumps.

But in recent years, skaters have been able to win competitions largely due to points racked up from jumping — with quadruple jumps playing a larger role in men's and women's skating.

Why better stamina can win skaters more points: In women's figure skating, athletes perform two routines: the short program, which is about 2 minutes and 40 seconds long, and the free skate, which is about 4 minutes long.

With the current scoring system, jumps performed in the second half of the free skate can get a 10% bonus because it's more difficult to perform them on tired legs.

Read the full story:

1:03 a.m. ET, February 17, 2022

Team USA figure skaters met with IOC chief to discuss medal delay 

From CNN's Hannah Ritchie

The United States figure skating team poses after winning silver in the team event on Feb. 7.
The United States figure skating team poses after winning silver in the team event on Feb. 7. (Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

The president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, met with the United States figure skating team on Thursday to discuss the ongoing medal delay in their event. 

The team figure skating event concluded on Feb. 7, following several days of intense competition after which the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) took gold, the US won silver and Japan bronze.

A doping violation involving Russia’s breakout star Kamila Valieva — which only came to light the day after the competition — has caused an ongoing medal delay for all three teams while the IOC continues its investigation into the matter. 

Speaking at a regular IOC news conference, spokesperson Mark Adams said the governing body had reached out to both Team USA and the Japanese Olympic Committee regarding the matter. 

"We can confirm that a meeting occurred today between president Bach and the USA figure skating team, however the details and content of that discussion should remain between them. So, for obvious reasons, we won’t be commenting further," Adams told reporters. 
“We’ve spoken to the Japanese Olympic Committee who’ve told us that they fully accept the IOC’s approach to the situation. That’s the reason why there was no meeting with their athletes."
12:42 a.m. ET, February 17, 2022

The USA have pulled one back in the women's ice hockey final

Team USA's Hilary Knight #21 scores against Team Canada's Ann-Renee Desbiens #35 in the second period during the women's ice hockey gold medal match on Thursday.
Team USA's Hilary Knight #21 scores against Team Canada's Ann-Renee Desbiens #35 in the second period during the women's ice hockey gold medal match on Thursday. (Harry How/Getty Images)

It's relief at last for the United States, with Hilary Knight scoring the team's first goal in the women's ice hockey final against rival Canada.

Canada has dominated the game so far, and is leading 3-1 late in the second period.

12:16 a.m. ET, February 17, 2022

It's 3-0 to Canada in the women's ice hockey final

Team USA have it all to do now after Canada's captain Marie-Philip Poulin scored her second goal of the women's ice hockey final to put her team up 3-0.

We are about halfway through the second period.

11:49 p.m. ET, February 16, 2022

Canada goes 2-0 up against Team USA in women's ice hockey final

Team Canada's Marie-Philip Poulin #29 celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring a goal in the first period during the women's ice hockey gold medal match between Team Canada and Team USA on Thursday.
Team Canada's Marie-Philip Poulin #29 celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring a goal in the first period during the women's ice hockey gold medal match between Team Canada and Team USA on Thursday. (Elsa/Getty Images)

Canada's captain Marie-Philip Poulin has just put her team 2-0 up in the women's ice hockey finals against old rivals the USA with a few minutes left in the first period.

11:34 p.m. ET, February 16, 2022

Canada draws first blood in women's ice hockey gold medal game

Team Canada's Sarah Nurse #20 celebrates with Claire Thompson #42 after scoring a goal in the first period during the women's ice hockey gold medal match between Team Canada and Team USA on Thursday.
Team Canada's Sarah Nurse #20 celebrates with Claire Thompson #42 after scoring a goal in the first period during the women's ice hockey gold medal match between Team Canada and Team USA on Thursday. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Canada's Sarah Nurse has just put her team 1-0 ahead in the women's ice hockey final against the United States.

It came moments after a Canadian goal was ruled out for offside.

Canada and the USA have topped the podium in the sport for years, with Canada looking to avenge defeat to Team USA in the final at Pyeongchang four years ago.

11:20 p.m. ET, February 16, 2022

Mikaela Shiffrin is shooting for gold in today's alpine combined event

Team USA's Mikaela Shiffrin skis during the women's alpine combined downhill on Thursday.
Team USA's Mikaela Shiffrin skis during the women's alpine combined downhill on Thursday. (Sean M.Haffey/Getty Images)

The first part of the women's alpine skiing combined event has wrapped, with Austria's Christine Scheyer leading the pack.

But there were strong runs from Czech skier Ester Ledecká in second place, and Team USA's Mikaela Shiffrin in fifth, who are both eyeing the gold.

The event started with a downhill course this morning, followed by a slalom race later this afternoon that will decide the final results. This is the final individual medal event for the alpine skiers at the Winter Games.

"Yesterday I finally felt I could really trust my instincts in the track, and it's silly, but just try to ski fast basically," said Shiffrin after her downhill run. She had a rough start to the Games, crashing out of her first two events.
"In downhill it takes a little bit of practice and a little bit of understanding (of) how the hill is dragging you around and I finally started to feel that the right way yesterday," she added. "Today I was just trying to stay calm and not think about the course too much and not try to make too much of a strategy but just ski it."