“It’s got a chance to be the biggest hockey game Team USA has played in a very, very long time and gives them every opportunity to take down their greatest rival.” – Eddie Olczyk on USA-Canada gold medal game
“I can’t wait. I’ve got the best seat in the house down at ice level.” – Brian Boucher on USA-Canada gold medal game
“I will never forget her Olympic skate, it is going to be legendary. She just brought all that fearless joy and energy. It didn’t feel like a competition let alone an Olympic competition.” – Tara Lipinski on Alysa Liu
“Unstoppable. Untouchable. And simply, inevitable.” – Steve Schlanger on Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo
TOMORROW: United States and Canada Face Off in the Men’s Hockey Gold Medal Game (coverage begins at 7 a.m. ET on NBC & Peacock); Milan Cortina Olympics Closing Ceremony to Feature Parade of Athletes and “Handoff” to French Alps 2030
STAMFORD, Conn. – February 21, 2026 – NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics continues tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and Peacock with Primetime in Milan, hosted by Mike Tirico.
Tonight’s show features Milan Cortina Winter Olympic figure skating gold medalists Alysa Liu, Ilia Malinin, and Amber Glenn performing in the gala, Jordan Stolz competing for a fourth medal in these Games, the two-woman bobsled duos of Kaillie Humphries with Jasmine Jones and Elana Meyers Taylor with Jadin O’Brien aim for the podium and Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo seeking Olympic history in the men’s 50km mass start.
Tomorrow, the United States and Canada will face off in the men’s hockey gold medal game (live on NBC and Peacock at 8 a.m. ET, with coverage beginning at 7 a.m. ET). In addition, women’s cross-country skiing 50km will feature four-time Olympic medalist Jessie Diggins live at 4 a.m. ET on Peacock and USA Network.
Concluding the Winter Games tomorrow, Terry Gannon, Tara Lipinski, and Johnny Weir will host NBCUniversal’s presentation of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony, featuring a must-see “handoff” to French Alps 2030, as well as the Parade of Athletes highlighted by Team USA. Coverage begins live at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, with primetime coverage later that day at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and Peacock. Five-time Olympic hockey medalist Hilary Knight, who broke the U.S. record all-time scoring record at the Olympics, and three-time Olympic medalist Evan Bates, will serve a Flag Bearers for Team USA.
Following are highlights from today’s live coverage of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on NBC, Peacock, USA Network, and CNBC:
MEN’S HOCKEY BRONZE FINLAND VS. SLOVAKIA
Eddie Olczyk on USA-Canada gold medal game on Sunday: “It’s going to be a privilege. To be here in anticipation of the greatest hockey players that there are north of the border for us and of course, the red, white and blue to see them perform in a gold medal game. There were big expectations for both countries coming into these games. In a one-game showdown, you never know when that one play might end up being the difference.”
Brian Boucher: “It is going to be an unbelievable hockey game. I can’t wait. I’ve got the best seat in the house down at ice level.”
Olczyk: “It’s got a chance to be the biggest hockey game Team USA has played in a very, very long time and gives them every opportunity to take down their greatest rival in Team Canada.”
Team USA’s Matthew Tkachuck to Kathryn Tappen on USA-Canada gold medal game: “I’ve been pretty fortunate to play in some pretty big games the last few years. Try to just stay level-headed and really just have so much fun with it because it doesn’t really hit until a few weeks or a few months afterward where you really realize what just happened. So, I’m liking where my head’s at, I’m liking where our team’s heads are at. We’re playing a hell of a hockey team but we’re a great team as well.”
Tkachuk to Tappen: “This has got to be one of the biggest games in hockey history. We’re definitely not taking this moment for granted.”
Team USA’s Quinn Hughes to Tappen on being available and importance of gold medal game: “It’s the game that everyone would dream of as a kid and play in and be an impact player.”
Hughes to Tappen on playing Canada: “They’re obviously ultra competitive. They have some elite talent. They can skate...At any given moment, we have five all-stars on the ice, too. We’ll do it as a five-man group.”
Team Canada Head Coach Jon Cooper to Tappen on the magnitude of USA-Canada gold medal game: “It wasn’t easy to get to this...All the way through this (tournament), the things we had to do just to get here. You look across the aisle, the U.S. has to go to overtime to get through Sweden. This had a real Four Nations flavor with the way the games were played...It was tough for both teams to get here but now that we are, they’ll be really rewarded with the quality of play that will go on.”
Anson Carter on Sidney Crosby’s uncertainty for the USA-Canada game: “It impacts the rest of the lineup...That leadership, saying the right thing, doing the right thing, and then taking some pressure off Connor McDavid now too.
Boucher on the Hughes and Tkachuk brothers for Team USA: “A little different styles when it comes to the brothers, but you need all different pieces of the puzzle to have success. Team USA looking to make a little history tomorrow morning.”
Olczyk on disappointment of Slovakia and Finland not making gold medal match but refocusing for bronze: “When the puck is in play and you’re out there but I have to imagine sitting on that bench on either side, even more so Finland, you’re probably saying, ‘How are we playing right now and we’re not having a team meeting getting ready for the gold medal game?”
Kenny Albert on Team Finland: “Congratulations to Finland! They win the bronze medal here in Milan.”
Albert on Olympics with NHL player participation: “Slovakia won their first medal in Olympic hockey in Beijing four years ago. This is the sixth Olympics with NHL participation. While Canada has won three golds over those previous five, Finland has the most total medals. They won four medals in the Olympics with National Hockey League players.”
SPEED SKATING WOMEN’S MASS START
Joey Cheek on Mia Manganello: “She sacrificed all of her other individual distances to just focus on this race. She said how much it meant to her. She talked all season about how she would sacrifice all other opportunities to be able to be on the podium in this event.”
Bill Spaulding: “What that means for Mia Manganello, her final race at 36 years old, it’s her first individual medal, a bronze, and the United States has its first medal in mass start. Greta Myers deserves an honorary medal for the way she helped Manganello around.”
SPEED SKATING MEN’S MASS START
Spaulding on Jordan Stolz’s performance during these winter games after placing 4th in the men’s mass start: “For the 21-year old Jordan Stolz, it’s a three medal haul. He wins 2 golds and a silver. We expect many more Olympics to come for him.”
Spaulding on the reaction from Erin Jackson and Casey Dawson in the crowd: “You can see the surprise from Erin Jackson and Casey Dawson. Jordan has the best sprint here, but not many can hold the lead for 600m as someone sits in their draft and that’s what he had to do on his own without a teammate.”
Jordan Stolz with Rebecca Lowe:
Lowe: “How do you reflect on what when down in that race?”
Stolz: “There were a lot of things that were happening. If I would’ve jumped on the brake in the beginning, maybe it would’ve been a little bit different, but it was so hard to predict. Each guy was kind of holding back and didn’t want to chase it, and I thought that they would, maybe the whole group. At some point in the race, I realized that everybody was racing for third place. If I would’ve pulled the entire group back, everyone else would’ve been sitting in my draft and I would’ve just blown my legs out and I would’ve had no chance at a medal. I did what I could, but yeah, everyone else was afraid to chase. It is what it is, it was kind of an interesting scenario.”
Lowe: “Now that you’re done, you can just begin the process of reflecting on the past two weeks. How would you describe it to us?”
Stolz: “I would say it was pretty successful. I was able to win gold in the 1000m and the 500m. The 1000m, I was pretty nervous going into it just because it was the first race and my best distance, and I wanted to get it out of the way and win a gold medal just to have it to my name. The 500m, that was a pretty fun race, I was pretty relaxed going into it. I knew it would be a kind of like a toss up between me and Jenning de Boo, because he’s so good. We battled it out and I was able to win. The 1500m could’ve gone a little better, but silver is pretty good so I’m pretty happy with what I did.”
Lowe: “What do you think would be the biggest lesson you’ll take as you leave Italy?”
Stolz: “Just to expect the unexpected. There are so many things to happen at the Olympics, everybody has their own plan, things are different, it’s not like the world cup. But I think I did pretty well so I’ll take it into the next four years, it should be better.”
Lowe: “How much did you feel about the [Olympic] pressure and how much is it off your shoulders?”
Stolz: “Oh yeah, the relief is totally there. It’s going to be another four years until I feel all of this again. The pressure didn’t get to me much as all, it was definitely there, but if I think that I focus on what I can control in the race, I will have good results.”
Lowe: “What would be the most enjoyable thing you’ll remember about these Games?”
Stolz: “I would say just the feeling after winning the 1000m and being the Olympic champion was probably the best feeling that anybody can have. Just knowing you finally did it, you’ve won a gold medal, and you just carry it for the rest of your life. I think that’s the best feeling.”
FIGURE SKATING GALA
Lipinski on Illia Malinin’s Olympic performance and his impact in figure skating: “This Olympics didn’t go the way Illia envisioned them, but what will be remembered more than his performance was the way that he handled himself with composure and sportsmanship and I believe this experience here will fuel him even more. His talent and impact on this sport are undeniable. And he is going to keep pushing those boundaries on our sport.”
Lipinski on Chock and Bates impact on the sport: “They have no doubt inspired a entire generation of skaters. They have modeled partnership and longevity and trust in a sport where careers can be short. Their impacts will long be felt in this sport.”
Gannon on Alysa Liu at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games: “Is there anybody who had as much fun at these Olympics or maybe ever winning an Olympic gold medal as Alysa Liu? Sheer joy and we all got to watch it and share it.”
Lipinski on Liu’s Olympic performance: “I will never forget her Olympic skate, it is going to be legendary. She just brought all that fearless joy and energy. It didn’t feel like a competition let alone an Olympic competition.”
FREESTYLE SKIING MIXED TEAM AERIALS FINAL
Trace Worthington reacting to Team USA’s back-to-back gold in Mixed Team Aerials: “USA! Twice golden in Mixed Team Aerials! Back-to-back brilliance.”
Hannah Kearney on Team USA being the underdog in this event: “They were the underdogs again — and they pull it off again.”
Kearney on Team USA while waiting for the results: “Even though they were the defending gold medalists in this event, they were still not favored to win. They were basically, on paper, ‘fighting for a silver medal.’ And I do not think that’s going to be the color of their medal today.”
Worthington on Connor Curran’s Olympic debut: “Connor Curran, under pressure in his Olympic debut. And in Mixed Team Aerials, he’s going to put Team USA on top of the leaderboard heading into the last and final jump.”
Kearney on the pressure before Chris Lillis’ jump: “Pressure is a privilege. And in this case, Team USA wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Kearney on Team USA’s energy: “Team USA looks like they’re having fun — because guess what’s fun? Landing big jumps.”
BOBSLEIGH TWO-WOMAN
Leigh Diffey on Team USA taking bronze in women’s bobsled: “It was Kaillie Humphries, with that incredible final run, and Jasmine Jones who prevented a Germany sweep of the podium.”
Elana Meyers Taylor during her featured interview on NBC’s coverage: “The only reason I am still bobsledding to this day is because of how much fun I have had. It is the one thing I would rather do than anything else. I would drive a bobsled for the rest of my life if I could. I am still having so much fun every time I hop on the sled that I am going to do it as long as I can.”
Diffey on Humphries’ performance: “Five Olympic medals for the 40-year-old mother of one, Kaillie Humphries.”
Schaaf on Humphries’ final run: “Kaillie knew she had to be perfect, and if there is anyone who can pull that off, it is Kaillie Humphries.”
Diffey on Team USA’s performance: “What a phenomenal Games this has been for the women of the Stars and Stripes.”
Diffey on Meyers Taylor’s Olympic future: “Is this the last time we have seen Elana Meyers Taylor on Olympic ice? We do not know. But if it is, let’s cherish it.”
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING MEN’S 50KM
Steve Schlanger on Johannes Høsflot Klæbo becoming the first athlete to win six gold medals at a single Winter Olympics: “Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. The first athlete to win 6 gold medals at one Winter Olympics. And now 11 career golds for the greatest of all time.”
Schlanger on Klæbo’s dominance after crossing the finish line: “Unstoppable. Untouchable. And simply, inevitable.”
Chad Salmela on Klæbo passing Nyenget on the final lap of the 50K: “It’s like he’s playing chess and everybody else is playing checkers. He has all the answers all the time. And that was just a beautiful 50K performance.”
Schlanger on Klæbo’s skiing IQ during the final lap of the 50K: “One of the most impressive things about Klæbo over these Olympics — and we’re also seeing evidence of it here today — is his skiing IQ. Has he even broken a sweat? Because in his five wins to this point, he has been tactical, he has been savvy, he hasn’t used energy where he hasn’t needed it. And as a result, he has saved it for the final day.”
WOMEN’S CURLING BRONZE MEDAL MATCH
Jason Knapp on Rachel Homan earning bronze after past Olympic disappointment: “Rachel Homan, the jinx is over. Empty-handed in 2018 and 2022, will go home with a bronze medal for Team Canada in 2026.”
Jamie Sinclair on competing with Rachel Homan and Emma Miskew: “They really showed me what it meant to be competitors out there — to be intense, to really be students of the game. They kind of introduced me to that really competitive side of the sport, so I looked up to them from that point on. It was a great experience to play with them. A lot of people look at Rachel as just being super intense on the ice, but off the ice she’s one of the funniest people in the world. She is hilarious.”
Sinclair on Team Canada taking control late in the match: “What a battle back and forth. Such a well-executed game. It was really anybody’s game until that second half, where Team Canada just took over.”
Knapp on Team USA at the Olympics: “Team USA, they are hanging around supporting each other. You see Team Casper from the men’s side and what a great run they had in their first Olympic Games. You’ve got Rich Ruohonen, who was the alternate on this team. Not only are the curling communities sticking together, but athletes from other sports are here as well.”
BOBSLEIGH FOUR-MAN
Britney Eurton on rising star Carsten Vissering who also is an NCAA swimming champion at USC: “Well, that brakeman, Carsten Vissering, is making his Olympic debut. But growing up, he dreamed of doing it in a pool, not on ice. As a young swimmer, he trained under the same coach as Katie Ledecky before going on to swim at USC. It was really the training demands of bobsled that attracted him. He said the pool prepared him for this: the focus, the pressure. And now they feel they can put it all together and medal.”
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--MILAN CORTINA 2026 WINTER OLYMPICS—
