7 to Watch Friday: Lindsey Vonn, Hockey Sisters and Viral Video

Lindsey Vonn, Nathan Chen and Adam Rippon highlight another star-studded day in Pyeongchang. Vonn, who hasn’t skied in the Olympics in eight years, makes her much-anticipated return in the Super-G. Chen and Rippon will try to cement medals for the U.S. in the men’s figure skating free skate. Plus, the U.S. hockey team faces an old nemesis: The Russians (even if they’re playing under a different flag).Here are our “7 to Watch” in Pyeongchang for Friday:  Must See Olympic Video: Chloe Kim Lands Back-to-Back 1080s, Wins Olympic Gold 1. Cold War Battle: U.S. Men’s Hockey vs. the RussiansThe U.S. men’s hockey team meets its old nemesis (playing under a different flag). Must See Olympic Video: Snowboarder Lands on Back in Crash The U.S. and Russia have a rich history in Olympic hockey, dating back to 1980s Miracle on Ice, when America’s rag-tag team of college kids upset the mighty Russians and eventually won the gold. More recently, games between U.S. And Russia were marquee matchup featuring teams loaded with NHL players.But the NHL is not participating in the Olympics, leaving both teams — but especially the Americans — a shell of what they could be. Must See Olympic Video: Watch All 3 of Shaun White’s Gold Medal Runs The U.S. men’s team is made up mostly of college athletes, Americans playing professionally overseas and others playing in second-tier leagues. The Russian team is composed of players in the highly regarded Kontinental Hockey League.And this time, the Russians are playing as the Olympic Athletes from Russia, because the Russian national team was banned from the Pyeongchang Olympics due to doping.The U.S. enters the game with a 1-1 record after losing to Slovenia in the opening game, but beating Slovakia on Friday. The Russians lost to Slovakia in their opener, but trounced Slovenia 8-2 on Friday afternoon (morning in the U.S.). Watch live on NBCSN at 4:10 a.m. PT Saturday or on digital platforms at this link. 2. Eight Years Later, Lindsey Vonn Is BackLindsey Vonn has been the face of Team USA for nearly a decade now, so it’s easy to forget that she hasn’t competed in the Olympics in eight years, and has won just one gold medal. She hopes to change both of those Saturday (Friday night in the U.S.).Vonn’s first race in Pyeongchang will be the Super-G. She won the bronze medal in the event at the Vancouver Games in 2010, but missed the Sochi Olympics due to a knee injury.The downhill is Vonn’s best event, but she’s won 28 Super-G races in her career, including the 2009 world championship. In 2015, she returned from her knee injury and won the bronze medal at the world championships.She plans to also enter the downhill and combined races in Pyeongchang.Mikaela Shiffrin, who won the gold medal in the Giant Slalom earlier this week, will not compete in the Super G.Watch live during NBC 7’s primetime coverage beginning at 5 p.m. PT on Friday, or on digital platforms at 6 p.m. PT at this link.3. Chen Looks to Redeem Early Stumbles in Men’s FinalNathan Chen fell in his Pyeongchang debut in team event. He took tumbles in the men’s short program, plummeting to 17th place. But now, in the free skate final, Chen seeks to erase his early issues with a strong finish to his Pyeongchang competition.Can he find momentum after two sub-par starts? The pre-Games favorite and two-time national champion missed on all of his jumps Friday morning (Thursday night), falling three times.Men’s single skating continues with the free skate Saturday (Friday night in the U.S.), following the men’s short program the night before. Chen’s shot at a medal is slim from 17th place, as the scores are a combination of both the short program and the free skate. He needs to top the reigning Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan for the gold medal, who lead the short program with a dominating, Olympic record-breaking performance.Chen’s less-heralded teammates finished ahead of him — Adam Rippon took seventh and Vincent Zhou finished 12th.Watch live on NBC 7’s primetime coverage beginning at 5 p.m. PT on Friday, or on digital platforms at this link. 4. South Korea Could Dominate in Short Track SpeedskatingIn the Olympics’ first week, the host country has earned just three medals. Saturday could be a windfall for South Korea, with medal contenders in two short-track speedskating events.In the women’s 1500-meter event, Shim Suk-hee and Choi Min-jeong are both expected to contend. Shim won silver at the Sochi Olympics in 2014. They’ll have stiff competition: Canada’s Marianne St-Gelais is a three-time Olympic silver medalist, but in different events. Great Britain’s Elise Christie is the reigning 1,500 meter world champion. Americans Jessica Kooreman, Lana Gehring and Maame Biney are expected to compete.South Korea has three medal contenders in the men’s 1000-meter, an event they’ve won at four of the past six Olympics. Seo Yi-ra, Lim Hyo-jun and Hwang Dae-heon will try to continue the South Korean dominance. The U.S. will be led by J.R. Celski and John-Henry Krueger.Watch on digital platforms beginning at 2 a.m. PT Saturday at this link.5. Americans Vie for Medal in Women’s Ski SlopestyleThe women’s ski slopestyle will likely have two American medal contenders, Devin Logan, who won silver in Sochi, and Maggie Voisin.Logan was the first American to be named to the Olympic team for both slopestyle and halfpipe. Voisin makes her Olympic debut, although she was expected to compete in Sochi at age 15 but was sidelined due to injury.The Americans will look to hold off the reigning world champion, 16-year-old Tess Ledeux.Watch live at 5 p.m. PT Friday at this link.6. Brandt Sisters Share Love of Hockey Two Minnesota sisters have an unbreakable bond despite the fact that they’re competing on two different teams in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.Hannah and Marissa Brandt join TODAY to talk about their special connection as sisters as both compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics in hockey.Hannah Brandt is playing for Team USA in women’s hockey and Marissa Brandt was invited to represent her birth country, South Korea. Their parents say the most important thing is that they are both positive and caring women. Watch their interview here.7. Viral Video Proves You Should Never Give UpOne of the best videos in the snowboarding cross competition has to be the semifinal race where two crashes wiped out almost the entire lineup. At one point, a competitor was crawling on his hands to try and get back into the race. It wasn’t until the very last second that a surprise appearance by one of the first to wipe out proves to those watching that you really should never give up. The message the rider gives to kids at the end is worth the price of admission. Check it out here.Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
Source: NBC San Diego