Italy pulled off the unthinkable by reaching the quarterfinals of the women's Olympic ice hockey tournament on Monday, fending off a Japanese comeback and underlining the spirit of a team delighted to keep proving the doubters wrong.

As the NHL pauses its season for the first time since 2014, the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, Italy, will host the men's ice hockey event with NHL stars and elite international players from across the globe.

Hosts Italy reached the quarter-finals of the Olympic women's ice hockey tournament with a 3-2 victory over Japan on Monday, and reigning champions Canada beat the Czech Republic 5-1 although their captain Marie-Philip Poulin went off injured.

It’s Day 5 of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics with eight gold medals on the line today. The first went to Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen, who added Alpine skiing’s super-G to his downhill and team combined titles. U.S. star Ryan Cochran-Siegle repeated his Beijing feat with a fine silver.

Italy was not picked to advance to the quarterfinals in the women's Olympic hockey tournament. They punched that ticket with wins over France and Japan, an accomplishment "worth as much as a gold medal in another sport.

Italian police have used tear gas and a water cannon on protesters near a Winter Olympics venue in Milan who are opposed to the environmental impact of the Games and the presence of U.S. ICE agents in Italy.