What to watch on Day 6 at Winter Olympics: Chloe Kim eyeing gold, U.S., Canada men’s hockey start
Follow our live coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Chloe Kim, the snowboarder who has set the bar high over the years, will attempt her third gold medal on Thursday in hopes of continuing her strong legacy. The U.S. and Canadian hockey teams will meet on the indoor ice as the men begin their tournaments and return to Olympic action for the first time since 2014.
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While Norway leads the gold medal standings with seven of 13, the United States has four gold medals (seven total) in Italy so far, and will have several opportunities to add to that tally on day six of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Let’s take a look at everything to watch today.
Main events to watch out for
Cross-country skiing: Another medal chance for Jessie Diggins
Time: 7 a.m. ET, 1 p.m. in Italy
TV: Peacock
What to watch out for: The women’s 10k freestyle with split start offers another good chance for Diggins, the American star in her final season, to medal. She has several World Cup victories over 10 kilometers and was world champion in 2023.
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Ice hockey: Men from the United States and Canada begin their tournaments
Time: Canada at 10:40 a.m. ET, 4:40 p.m. in Italy; USA at 3:10 p.m. ET, 9:10 p.m. in Italy
TV: Peacock
What to watch out for: American and Canadian NHL stars return to Olympic ice for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Games. Canada opens against the Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, while the United States faces Latvia in the nightcap. Two more matches on Thursday: Switzerland-France at 6:10 a.m. ET and Germany-Denmark at 3:10 p.m. ET.
Snowboard: Chloe Kim and the women’s halfpipe final
Time: 1:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. in Italy
TV: Peacock
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What to watch out for: Kim will be aiming for a third gold medal, and the competition will chase her. The key question will be whether she can succeed in her most technically ambitious races under Olympic pressure and to what extent the tight peloton can push her to perform at her best, as the riders try to close the gap. Even when Kim isn’t perfect, her scoring ceiling often forces competitors to take bigger risks, setting up a finale that could depend as much on execution and courage as on difficulty.
Other events
Curling: men’s and women’s round robin
Times: 3:05 a.m. (women), 8:05 a.m. (men) and 1:05 p.m. (women) ET; 9:05 a.m., 2:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. in Italy
TV: Peacock
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What to watch out for: The American and Canadian women make their debuts in the morning session. Americans get up again in the evening. Great Britain versus Sweden will be the highlight of the men’s afternoon session.
Skeleton: Men, series 1 and 2
Times: 3:30 a.m. ET; 9:30 a.m. in Italy
TV: Peacock
What to watch out for: The first two rounds will set the tone for a race where hundredths of a second can define medal hopes. As athletes take their first Olympic runs on the track, early consistency and clean starts will be crucial, especially as sliders balance aggression and control on one of the fastest courses in the world. The pressure will likely be on the favorites to avoid mistakes while leaving little room for recovery heading into the final rounds, as Rounds 1 and 2 will separate the good from the great.
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Freestyle skiing: men’s moguls
Times: Qualifier #2 at 4 a.m. ET, 10 a.m. Italy; finale at 6:15 a.m. ET, 12:15 p.m. in Italy
TV: Peacock
What to watch out for: Challenging combinations of speed, aerial difficulty and technical precision will be tested when qualifying kicks off. The event rewards skiers who can maintain clean, controlled turns while aggressively attacking the course and executing high-difficulty jumps. So expect the competition to hinge on how athletes balance speed and form, as even small mistakes in moguls or landings can swing scores dramatically. With judging split between turns, air and time, the event often produces close finishes and momentum shifts as finalists attempt to achieve high-risk runs under pressure.
Snowboard: Men’s snowboard cross
Times: Qualifying at 4 a.m. ET, 10 a.m. Italy; finale at 7:45 a.m. ET, 1:45 p.m. in Italy
TV: Peacock
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What to watch out for: Strategy, positioning and impeccable starts are often just as important as raw speed, as riders jostle for lanes and try to avoid crashes that can quickly eliminate medal favorites. The knockout format adds another layer of pressure, forcing competitors to balance aggression and control while navigating high-speed traffic, making snowboard cross one of the most volatile and dramatic events of the Games. Keep an eye out for American Nick Baumgartner, Australian Adam Lambert, Austrian Alessandro Hämmerle and Canadian Éliot Grondin.
Speed skating: 5,000 meters women
Time: 10:30 a.m. ET, 4:30 p.m. in Italy
TV: Peacock
What to watch out for: Norwegian Ragne Wiklund, Canadian Isabelle Weidemann and Dutch Joy Beune are among the best in the women’s long distance race. Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida is the reigning world champion, giving the host country medal hopes. The great Dutchwoman Irene Schouten, reigning Olympic champion, has since retired.
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Luge: Team relay
Time: 12:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. in Italy
TV: Peacock
What to watch out for: Germany and Austria lead the pack after strong individual results, but one misstep or botched transition can tip the podium. Keep an eye on the consistency of Germany and Austria, which has given them a lead so far. Star power and successful completion of every run and handoff will be key, but it won’t necessarily lead every team to victory.
Short track speed skating: women’s 500 meters and men’s 1,000 meters
Time: 2:15 p.m. ET, 8:15 p.m. in Italy
TV: Peacock
What to watch out for: It could be a big day for North America here, with Americans Corinne Stoddard and Kristen Santos-Griswold and Canadians William Dandjinou, Steven Dubois and Courtney Sarault among the medal contenders. Pietro Sighel gives Italy a medal chance in the men’s 1000m. Two-time world champion Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands is the name to beat in the women’s 500m.
This article was originally published in The Athletic.
Olympics, world sports, women’s Olympics
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