Mark Lazerus

My women’s free skate rankings (I saw the last 13 skaters here), based almost exclusively on vibes, way too heavily influenced by music, and with virtually no technical expertise:

I HAVE THOUGHTS about figure skating.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...

Dropped in on figure skating just to see something other than hockey (missing a hell of a game, though, it seems).

I'm just struck by how huge the ice seems with one solitary person on it, thousands of people staring at her. The pressure — and the loneliness — must be immense.

Happy 12th anniversary to the greatest press conference of all time, between a very angry Russian press and a very done-with-it-all Russian hockey coach in Sochi.

Olympic men’s hockey semifinals: Breaking down Canada vs. Finland, USA vs. Slovakia The men's hockey semifinals are set. Here's a look at both of Friday's matchups, with Canada facing Finland and the U.S. facing Slovakia.

It's Canada-Finland and U.S.-Slovakia in the men's hockey semifinals tomorrow. @arponbasu.bsky.social has an excellent breakdown of both games:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

How can Team USA avoid an upset by red-hot Slovakia in men's Olympic hockey semifinals? On paper, Team USA has a clear path to the men's Olympic hockey gold medal game, but anyone who has watched the Slovaks play knows not to take them lightly.

My lapel mic fell off and got run over by a street car while recording this video. Risking life and limb for a cool background.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/vid...

🇮🇹

Had a couple of free hours for a change today, caught up on last week's episode of The Pitt. Congrats to Katherine LaNasa for winning next year's Emmy again.

Who is Samuel Hlavaj? Meet the struggling AHLer starring in Slovakia’s Cinderella Olympic run The Minnesota Wild minor-leaguer has an .884 save percentage in the AHL this season. He's at .932 in the Olympics.

The Wild haunt @russohockey.bsky.social wherever he goes. Here's his story on goaltender Samuel Hlavaj, who's had a miserable AHL season in Iowa but has been an absolute rock for Slovakia on this magical run:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Hot damn, that was a fun day at the office.

Slovakia continues magical Olympic hockey run, will play for a medal after bouncing Germany What we've seen in Milan is a shocking performance from a young team that’s at least four years ahead of schedule.

Slovakia will be playing for a medal. Maybe even a gold one.

And they're going to have the most fun doing it.

My column on the best story of the Olympic tournament, and Team USA's next opponent:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Jordan Binnington vindicates Hockey Canada’s belief in him with Olympic heroics Binnington has been the worst goalie in the NHL this season. But in Canada's nail-biter of an Olympic quarterfinal he made save after save.

Jordan Binnington, as usual, was not perfect on Wednesday.

But Jordan Binnington, as usual, came up big when Canada needed it the most.

My column from Canada's extraordinary win:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Team USA knocks out Sweden in overtime to reach Olympic men’s hockey semifinals The Americans will play for an Olympic medal after Quinn Hughes played the hero in overtime on Wednesday night in Milan.

How do you mentally recover after having victory snatched away with 91 seconds left on the world stage?

You breathe.
You reset.
You forget.
And you throw Quinn Hughes over the boards.

Story from a deliciously, agonizingly tense U.S.-Sweden quarterfinal:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Can an Olympic gold medal change Connor Hellebuyck’s big-game reputation? Would the image of Hellebuyck with an Olympic gold medal slung around his neck be enough to change the narrative?

Connor Hellebuyck was nails today for Team USA in a massive showdown with Sweden. Can a gold medal change his big-game reputation?

My column:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Team USA knocks out Sweden in overtime to reach Olympic men’s hockey semifinals The Americans will play for an Olympic medal after Quinn Hughes played the hero in overtime on Wednesday night in Milan.

Team USA is one win from the gold-medal game after an unbearably tense 2-1 overtime victory over Sweden that tested its resilience, its resolve and its resourcefulness.

Having Quinn Hughes sure helps, though.

Full story from me and @RussoHockey:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

SWEDEN TIES IT with the extra attacker! Mika Zibanejad sharp-angle one-timer squeaks through Hellebuyck. It's 1-1.

It's 1-0 USA through two periods, and Jacob Markström is the biggest reason it's not a bigger lead. He's got 29 saves already, including some really big ones on Guentzel and Thompson, among others.

GOAL: Dylan Larkin tips in a shot from up top and it's 1-0 USA.

Jordan Binnington vindicates Hockey Canada’s belief in him with Olympic heroics Binnington has been the worst goalie in the NHL this season. But in Canada's nail-biter of an Olympic quarterfinal he made save after save.

NEW: Jordan Binnington had legions of doubters. Lord knows I was one of them.

None of them play for Team Canada.

"When big games come around, Jordan Binnington comes around.”

My column on Canada's win:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

That game made up for all the dull hockey this Olympics has thrown at us.

We spent 12 years waiting for that game. What was 12 days more?

CANADA WINS! Mitch Marner, big-game superstar. 4-3 Canada. Unreal game.

We're going to overtime! This game rules at heretofore unknown levels of hardness.

CANADA TIES IT! Devon Toews' shot gets past Dostal and it's 3-3 with 3:27 to go!

CZECHIA LEADS! Ondrej Palat scores moments after Binnington made a huge save on Radko Gudas. It's 3-2 Czechia with 7:42 left.

It's pretty wild that both Marie-Philip Poulin and Sidney Crosby had to leave games with injury in these Olympics. Couldn't be two bigger names in the Hockey Canada world.

We're finally getting the game we want. It's 2-2 through two. Canada, possibly without Sidney Crosby, will have 49 seconds of power-play time on fresh ice to start the third. Buckle up.

Radko Gudas has been a menace all night, but he's furious about that roughing call against him on Brandon Hagel. Slammed his stick on the glass inside the penalty box.

Sidney Crosby exits Canada’s Olympic hockey quarterfinal game vs. Czech Republic Crosby left Canada's Olympic hockey quarterfinal game during the second period with an apparent injury and has not returned.

Sidney Crosby leaves Canada's quarterfinal game favoring his right leg after a collision with Czechia's Radko Gudas. @RussoHockey with he latest: www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Macklin Celebrini takes an interference penalty. What a mistake it was bringing him to Milan. Clearly, the moment is too big for him.

For aging captains in Olympic men’s hockey, the goals vary but the pride is universal It's about pride. And pride is universal — whether you're on top, stuck in the middle or mired all the way at the bottom.

Five-time Olympian Roman Červenka with the centering pass on that Sedlak goal:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...