Hockey is the most intense and exciting event during the Winter Olympics. Because the NHL takes place throughout the year, most people already understand the game. The USA hockey team consists of players from the NHL and if a match against Canada happens, it will be the biggest event of the Olympics. After the two nations brawled in the 4 Nations Face Off last year, another matchup is highly anticipated.
Snowboarding became one of the most popular and most-watched sports in the Olympics since its debut in 1988. Snowboarding contains many events like the Snowboard Big Air, Snowboard Halfpipe and Snowboard Slopestyle. The USA Snowboard team features top-tier snowboarders like Nick Baumgartner, Red Gerard and Chloe Kim.
Ski Jumping is a spectacular sport where athletes ski down a ramp, and at the bottom, they jump and use their skis to land as far away as possible. The USA’s most notable athlete in this event, Kevin Bickner, is competing in his third Winter Olympics and aims for his first medal.
Alpine skiing is another one of the top-watched and intense sports in the Olympics. Athletes ski 2.14 miles downhill, reaching speeds of 75-90 miles per hour and to reach the podium, most skiers need a time under 2 minutes. Alpine Skiing already made headlines this Olympics when skier Lindsey Vonn tore her ACL while practicing for the events and decided to keep competing. She then crashed again and broke her leg, keeping her from competing in the Olympics. Despite the big loss for Team USA, the American Alpine Skiing team remains one of the best in the world, featuring athletes like Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Bryce Bennett, Breezy Johnson, Paula Moltzan and Mikaela Shiffrin.
The Luge, ranked near the top of the dangerous sports in the Winter Olympics, as athletes race down an ice track at over 90 miles per hour. Athletes rely on their reflexes and balance to steer their luge down the track, making it very difficult and intense. The USA Luge team features returning athletes like Summer Britcher, Jonny Gustafson and Emily Fischnaller, who are hoping for their first medal.
