Premier League Week 27 Fixtures: Final-Score Predictions for Upcoming Schedule

The Premier League has a clear leader after Week 26 as Jose Mourinho's Chelsea team sit astride the English domestic league.

The West London side lead the rest by just a solitary point, per BBC Sport.

As the midweek fixtures were decimated by the inclement weather sweeping across the UK, Chelsea's draw at West Brom was enough to see them extend their advantage.

Arsenal could only manage a draw against a staggering Manchester United team, who managed to defensively contain the Gunners at the Emirates to earn a point, and almost took all three.

So who will take the advantage in Week 27? Here is a list of all the fixtures and score predictions:


Premier League Week 27 Schedule and Predictions
Fixture                                            Date Time (GMT) TV Info   Prediction
Chelsea v Everton                          Feb. 22 12:45 p.m. BT Sport         2-1
Arsenal v Sunderland                  Feb. 22 3:00 p.m.                         3-0
Cardiff City v Hull City                  Feb. 22 3:00 p.m.                         1-0
Manchester City v Stoke City          Feb. 22 3:00 p.m.                         4-0
West Brom v Fulham                  Feb. 22 3:00 p.m.                         1-1
West Ham v Southampton          Feb. 22 3:00 p.m.                         2-1
Crystal Palace v Manchester United  Feb. 22 5:30 p.m.        Sky Sports 1-1
Liverpool v Swansea City                  Feb. 23 1:30 p.m.                         3-1
Newcastle v Aston Villa                  Feb. 23 1:30 p.m.        Sky Sports 1-1
Norwich v Tottenham Hotspur          Feb. 23 4:00 p.m.        Sky Sports 1-3
premierleague.com



Chelsea v Everton

Chelsea take on a buoyant Everton side in the early kick-off on Saturday.

It has been a wonderful start for Roberto Martinez to his reign on Merseyside, with his team still very much in contention for the last Champions League position.

However, the Toffees have slipped to 11th in the Premier League form guide after winning just two of their last six matches. Their away record also reads poorly, with the club only managing six points from a possible 18 on the road.

Chelsea on the other hand are flying high and are undefeated in the league since losing away at Stoke on Dec. 11. Per Squawka, the Blues are now on an undefeated streak of 11 games, having played both Arsenal and Liverpool in that run of matches.

It is difficult to see anything but a win for Mourinho's men, as their credentials of Premier League champions begin to grow.

This is the time of the season where the Portuguese manager comes into his own, showing his ruthless ability to close in on titles and grab whichever silverware he desires.

Everton have overachieved this season and the core quality of their football has improved under their new manager.

But Stamford Bridge will be a bridge too far. Chelsea should power on through the gears and dispose of their opponents with ease. The scoreline might remain tight, but it should be a comfortable win nonetheless.

Prediction: 2-1



Liverpool v Swansea

Stu Forster/Getty Images
As a Swansea side without Michael Laudrup looks to the future and tries to maintain its Premier League status, the country's form side looks to extend its wonderful run.

Liverpool are top of the form guide with 16 points accumulated from their past six home matches.

The combination of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge with a cast of many have propelled the Reds into not only Champions League contention, but for the English league title as well.

Swansea really do not have a chance at Anfield. Any positive result achieved by them would be a titanic shock especially as Brendan Rodgers' side has destroyed all comers on their own turf.

The Swans are up to 10th in the Premier League table but still only lie four points off the relegation zone.

If Suarez is in the mood it could well turn into a cricket score, but I think the team from South Wales will show some backbone and manage to restrict Liverpool despite losing.

Prediction: 3-1



Crystal Palace v Manchester United

Who knows what the score of a Man Utd match will be these days?

In years gone by a trip to Selhurst Park would not concern United one bit, but in these times of trouble, and with Tony Pulis' team's amazing home form, this could be yet another hard day for David Moyes.

Palace are above United in the form guide and that fact alone is a damning statistic to the reigning league champions.

Palace have won four of their last six games at home, with an unusual slip-up against Newcastle, who beat the Eagles 3-0.

Moyes' side have looked more comfortable away from Old Trafford, and a competent showing away at Chelsea will have delivered some confidence.

But you can't help but feel that some more bad days are still to come.

Palace will have enough to hold a United team yet to find its genuine scoring boots.

One day soon United will click, and the magic of Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata will destroy an opponent. However, it will not be against Palace. Pulis has the experience to deal with this United side, and his team will be looking for a counter-punch victory over the Red Devils.

Prediction: 1-1

Olympic Women's Downhill Skiing Schedule 2014: TV Info, Day 5 Medal Predictions

Uncertainty will reign supreme for the world's best women skiers as they head into Wednesday's downhill final at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Organizers were forced to cancel the final training session for the event on Tuesday, as temperatures were higher than expected and the terrain proved untenable. As noted by The Associated Press' Krasnaya Polyana (via ABC News), ruts left over from this week's super-combined competition needed to be repaired especially toward the bottom of the course.

This leaves the skiers in the field with just four instead of the typical five practice runs.


Luckily, most of the contenders have a good idea of how this will play out. Lindsey Vonn's absence from Sochi due to injury cracked the downhill field wide open, as the American star was widely expected to run away with the competition. Without Vonn, German and super-combined winner Maria Hoefl-Riesch will have a good chance, as will American Julia Mancuso, who finished second behind Vonn in Vancouver.

But there is an eclectic field here in Russia, one that won't have any fear on the slopes. And these women qualified for the Olympics for a reason. They are very, very good at skiing very, very fast down a sheet of snow.

We'll have to watch and see how this event plays out. With that in mind, let's check out how you can watch Wednesday's downhill competition and predict the medalists.

Women's Downhill Viewing Info
Date: Feb. 12
Time: 2 a.m. ET
TV: Click here for TV listings
Live Stream: Available on the NBC Olympics website


Medal Predictions

Gold: Lara Gut (Switzerland)

Gut comes into the downhill hoping to atone for a frustrating run at the super-combined. Heading into her second run, she was just 47 seconds behind Mancuso, with the rest of the field breaking perfectly for an easy medal. Hoefl-Riesch put together a solid lead time, but not an unattainable one for Gut, a Swiss who was exceptional in super-combined events in 2013.

Instead, Gut faltered. She was one of numerous high-profile skiers to disqualify herself early in her run, pulling off the slopes before even putting a medal anywhere near attainability. It was a disappointing performance that left Gut in tears after her run, her coach Hans Flatscher told Graham Dunbar of the AP (via The Charlotte Observer).

Still, the disappointment seemingly turned into motivation. Flatscher noted that his skier was still "really angry ... but after a few hours she was already in focus for the downhill."

The downhill very well could end with glory for Gut. At age 22, she came into Sochi seemingly primed for a run at gold. Gut, who was too injured to compete at the 2010 Games, was considered an up-and-coming threat for Vonn's throne in Vancouver before being ruled out. Now four years older and fully healthy, nearly everyone close to the Swiss thinks she has what it takes.

"She's physically perfect. Technically she improved because she did more work in the summer," Mauro Pini, Gut's former coach, told Dunbar (via The Washington Times). "I think the important point is Lara is not any more a little girl, she's a young lady. She is more mature."

From a purely physical standpoint, I tend to agree. But we'll have to see how she handles the mental spotlight. There is no telling whether it was nerves or merely a mental error that caused her to cough up the chance to medal in the super-combined. If it was the former, another disqualification or a poor run could forbid her contention once more.

If it's the latter, as suspected, Switzerland will be walking away with its third gold in Sochi.



Silver: Julia Mancuso (United States)

Will Mancuso ever get the rightful credit she deserves within United States skiing circles? Vonn is widely considered the most decorated female skier in the country's history, but that entirely depends upon how you judge someone's legacy.

When it comes to World Cup victories, Vonn is unimpeachable. Her 59 is more than eight times Mancuso's piddly total of seven. She consistently ranks as the first- or second-best skier in the world in season standings, dominating the downhill event to the point that she would have been the super-combined favorite just by proxy.

The Olympics are another story entirely. Vonn's only two Olympic medals came in 2010, a gold in the downhill and a bronze in the super-G. Mancuso has twice her American friend and rival's bling. She has medaled in each of the last three Olympics, with her four overall medals being the most for a female skier in U.S. history.

"That kind of stuff has never mattered to me," Mancuso told Bonnie D. Ford of ESPN. "My teammates have been incredible. Lindsey Vonn is a champion and of course has had way more success than I have on the World Cup [59 wins to seven for Mancuso], so it's definitely warranted to give her a lot of credit."

Still, with Vonn injured, Mancuso added to her total in the super-combined. Though one has to surmise she was a little disappointed with bronze considering the lead she held coming in, Mancuso raised her arms in triumph ever the good sport. Her slalom run was uncharacteristically sloppy at points, as she was unable to let go of the skis at the right time and wound up losing momentum as her run went along.

The first downhill run, on the other hand, was nearly flawless. She had a near half-second lead over Gut going into the slalom, and only the top four competitors were within a second. If past performance is any indicator of future results, Mancuso may add to her 2010 silver with a 2014 gold. I'm taking Gut, but these two are our favorites.


Bronze: Maria Hoefl-Riesch (Germany)

Believe it or not, Hoefl-Riesch is a bit of an underdog coming into the downhill. Though the AP (via Yahoo! Sports) selected her as the favorite to win the downhill, the actual results don't back that up. The German is a menace in slalom competition and has won each of the last two super-combined medals, but the downhill is arguably her worst discipline.

She ran only fifth during the downhill portion of the super-combined and was absent from the podium in Vancouver, finishing eighth. While she has had some success in the event on the world circuit, bronze is the best Hoefl-Riesch has ever done in the World Championships.

Here, then, would likely be the spot where an underdog could slip in. Tina Maze of Slovenia is the best bet to take Hoefl-Riesch's place, as is Leanne Smith, the least-discussed of the American skiers in the field. And there are a number of dark horses who could come completely out of the woodwork to a surprise medal.

Hoefl-Riesch is just performing far too well to predict any of that stuff will happen. She's been brilliant in Sochi—and all season actually. She has tamed her greatest beast with three wins in seven World Cup downhills this season and, if she wins on Wednesday, will tie the women's all-time Alpine Olympic record of four golds.

"I don't think about records so much," said Hoefl-Riesch, per the AP (via ABC News). "If it happens, it's great."

It's a bit of a long shot, but if we've learned anything in Sochi, it's never count Maria Hoefl-Riesch out of any skiing competition.

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Olympic Speedskating Schedule 2014: TV Info and Live-Stream Guide for Day 4

After Day 3 of the Sochi Games saw a flurry of activity on the ice rinks, Tuesday will not be as action-packed for the speedskaters.

In fact, the ladies will get the speedskating Olympic spotlight to themselves on Day 4. The only speedskating event on tap for Tuesday is the ladies' 500 meters.

This has to come to the dismay of the red-hot Netherlands team. The Dutch were fantastic on Monday. That was highlighted by a podium sweep in the men's 500-meter long-track race with Michel Mulder (gold), Jan Smeekens (silver) and Michel's twin Ronald Mulder (bronze).

Meanwhile, the Americans will be looking to get their speedskating hopes back on track. Legend Shani Davis missed out on the podium in his first event on Monday, and short-track star J.R. Celski just missed the podium with a fourth-place finish in the 1,500-meter short-track race.

Neither of those two highlighted stars will be on display on Tuesday.

Ladies’ 500-Meter Long-Trace Race (First of Two)

Date: Tuesday, Feb. 11

Time: 7:45 a.m. ET, 4:45 p.m. Sochi time and 12:45 p.m. GMT

TV Broadcast: NBC Sports Network at 7:45 a.m. ET, NBC at midnight (rebroadcast) and BBC at 12:45 p.m. GMT

Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com


Ladies’ 500-Meter Long-Track Race (Second of two)

Date: Tuesday, Feb. 11

Time: 8:45 a.m. ET, 5:45 p.m. Sochi time and 1:45 p.m. GMT

TV Broadcast: NBC Sports Network at 8:45 a.m. ET, NBC at midnight (rebroadcast) and BBC at 1:45 p.m. GMT

Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com


Previewing the 500 Meters

One of Team USA's brightest speedskating stars will be taking the ice for this event.

Heather Richardson is the face of a resurgent women's long-track team for the Americans. She was recently the first American woman to win the world sprint crown since 2005.

She and teammate Brittany Bowe enter these games as expected medalists.


Those hopes, however, are more due to their domination in the 1,000 meters. Both Richardson and Bowe are converted in-line skaters. They both are also better at the 1,000 than the 500.

This is not to suggest that they are hopeless in the 500; chances are, one of them will pick up a bronze.

With South Korean defending champion Lee Sang Hwa and Russia’s Olga Fatkulina also in the mix in the 500, there isn't a lot of opportunity for any other skaters to sneak into the top two.

Lee is the world-record holder in the event, and she was first in the overall World Cup standings for the 500 meters in the 2012-13 season. She will have to slip up for someone else to snag a gold in this event.

Meanwhile, this will all prove to be valuable experience for Richardson in her second Olympics. This is key for her to achieve her lofty goals.

As passed along by John Powers of The Boston Globe, Richardson put far greater expectations on herself in Sochi than she did in Vancouver:

In Vancouver I was just happy to be there. Here, I actually want to put in some solid races, just go out, relax, and do my best, hopefully be on the podium. My goal is to be on the podium in at least one of my three individual events.

Richardson has a chance to take a step toward that goal on Tuesday.

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Olympic Snowboarding 2014: Schedule, TV Info, Team Medal Predictions for Day 4

Day 4 of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi brings one of the most exciting events of the Winter Games—men's halfpipe. This is one event in which the United States is certainly looking for a gold medal, as snowboard sensation Shaun White will be in action.

However, White will not be without stiff competition, as up-and-coming Japanese snowboarder Ayumu Hirano will look to give him a run for his money. Also, American Danny Davis will look to keep his hot streak alive, as he won the 2014 Winter X Games while White and Hirano missed the event.


This event is must-see TV, so let's break down when each round will be taking place on Tuesday to ensure that none of the action will be missed.



Viewing Information

What: Men's Halfpipe

When: Tuesday, Feb. 11

Where: Rosa Khutor Extreme Park


TV Times

Qualification Round: 5 a.m. ET

Semifinals: 10 a.m. ET

Finals: 12:30 p.m. ET

Channel: NBC

Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com


Medal Prediction

White of Team USA figures to be the name to watch during this event. White pulled out of the men's slopestyle event in Sochi so he could fully focus on the halfpipe.

He has found a great amount of success in this event in the past, as he won gold medals in the 2006 Olympics in Turin and again in 2010 in Vancouver. Despite being on the snowboard scene for over a decade, White continues to push himself with each contest, seemingly remaining one step ahead of his competition.

White will look to become the first American male to earn a gold medal in three consecutive Winter Games.

White will not only have to battle his competition, but the course conditions as well. During an interview with Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today, he explained that the conditions in Sochi weren't perfect:

The first day, the walls were a little over-[vertical], so everybody was doing airs, and then landing like pretty flat. Today, they made the walls better so everybody lands [correctly], but in the flat bottom, where they cut it, it's like a bump, so everyone is riding along and then hits the bump, and that's really not very good.

Hirano became the youngest medalist in the history of the Winter X Games earlier this year, when he took home the silver medal at the age of 14. Now at 15 years old, Hirano continues to nip at White's heels with some impressive air in this event.

In snowboard circles, Hirano is considered by many to be White's heir apparent. It will be interesting to see how close of a competition we will get from this youngster from Japan.

Of course, American Danny Davis cannot be counted out of this conversation. Davis has been on a hot streak lately, as he finished in first place earlier this year in the 2014 Winter X Games' superpipe event in Aspen.

Davis is back in action after a brutal injury suffered back in 2010 which cost him a spot on the Olympic team in Vancouver. During an interview with Rachel Axon of USA Today, Davis is excited about his opportunity in this year's Olympics:

I wasn't ready to be done. Like I've always said, to have the chance to go to Russia, to have the chance to be on an Olympic team, I'm psyched. It wouldn't have killed me if I didn't make it, but I'm very happy that I did and I'm very excited for the opportunity.

Davis will look to continue to ride his hot hand in order to finally claim some Olympic glory of his own.

Gold: Shaun White

Silver: Ayumu Hirano

Bronze: Danny Davis

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Olympic Hockey Schedule 2014: TV Info, Live Stream and Predictions for Day 2

Four teams in women's hockey Group B will take the ice on Sunday in their first action of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Canada and the U.S. flexed their muscles on Saturday, affirming their status as the bracket's favorites with big victories. In a more open grouping, Sweden, Japan, Russia and Germany can all start the tournament off right.

Under the new group formatting, Sweden and Russia were placed in Group B after ranking fifth and sixth, respectively, in 2012's world rankings. Germany and Japan qualified for the final two spots.

This group's top two teams will advance to face off against Group A's bottom two squads. Group A was purposefully stacked with the four best teams (Canada, U.S., Finland and Switzerland) so the two best countries earn an automatic trip to the semifinals.

But we're a long ways from that, so let's take a look at the day's two games, both of which are available for live streaming at NBCOlympics.com.

2014 Olympics Day 2 Schedule
Matchup Time (ET) TV
Sweden vs. Japan 3 a.m. NBC Sports
Germany vs. Russia 8 a.m. MSNBC
NBCOlympics.com



Sweden vs. Japan
Both fringe medal contenders, Sweden and Japan are playing with house money in Sochi.

Sweden, however, enters this match as the seemingly more experienced club. Since women's ice hockey became an Olympic sport in 1998, the country has finished no worse than fifth, earning the bronze in 2002 and silver in 2006.


On the other hand, Japan has not qualified since 1998, when it finished sixth during the event's inaugural tilt. That means nearly all of Yuji Iizuka's squad has yet to experience the Olympic platform. Japan's coach said it's crucial for his players to keep a calm frame of mind as they soak in the grand stage.

“Since this is the first Olympics for most of the players in the team, the most important thing is mental training so they don’t feel anxious or intimidated,” Iizuka told The Japan Times' Jack Gallagher.

Then again, only one player on Sweden's roster is older than 25 years old. Japan features nine such players, including Yoko Kondo, a member of the 1998 team.

While it's fair to then toss aside the experience concerns, Sweden still boasts the more talented group, which should be one of the two teams to survive Group B.

Prediction: Sweden 2, Japan 1



Russia vs. Germany
The hosting nation is the top team to watch from Group B.

Russia has never finished above fifth place, but that could change this year. After finishing third in the 2013 Women's World Championship, a bronze medal is in play.

The Star Tribune's Rachel Blount credited Minnesota Duluth coach Shannon Miller with reviving the Russian program after Jacques Rogge, the International Olympic Committee president at the time, warned that women's hockey program that “we cannot continue without improvement.”

Since Miller began advising the Russians, they have increased funding for women’s hockey, sent the team to train in Duluth for two weeks and won the bronze medal at last spring’s world championships. Several other nations have taken similar steps forward, and Miller said she expects to see even more progress in the years leading toward the next Winter Games.

For Russia to take the next step, it must defeat Germany, who has also failed to finish better than fifth in its three years of qualification. One of the keys to victory is the play of goalie Nadezhda Alexandrova, who propelled Russia to a bronze finish in the world championship.

Advancing to the Olympics is in itself an achievement for Germany, but Russia is on the upswing and ready to make noise with its home-field advantage. Expect a major victory on Sunday.

Prediction: Russia 3, Germany 0

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Olympic Figure Skating Schedule 2014: TV Info and Predictions for Day 2

The 2014 Olympics team figure skating events will come to a close on Sunday, as the series completes with men's free skating, ladies' free skating and ice dance free dance. Once these three evens are in the books, the medal ceremony will follow.

Currently, Russia is in a commanding lead with 47 points, followed by Canada with 41 and the United States with 34. Italy and Japan also qualified with scores of 31 and 30, respectively.

Athletes will have to be on point, as Sunday's events will go for a much longer duration than the previous short programs.

The Russians have been able to rattle off three 10-point performances in the five elapsed events, while the U.S. is barely hanging in there due to a 10 in the team ice dance short-dance event when Meryl Davis and Charlie White put on an astonishing performance to keep their country in the mix.

Per Reuters via Yahoo! Sports, White elaborated on the United States' position in the figure skating competition, "Points wise it (the skate) did (help the team climb back up). We don't feel we are carrying any special burden or load. We are counting on the whole team to pull through together."


Viewing Information
What: Team men's free skating
Where: Iceberg Skating Palace
Watch: NBC
TV Time: 10 a.m. ET
Live Stream: NBC Olympics Live Extra


Outlook
United States skater Jeremy Abbott will look to regroup after his poor performance in the short program. He only earned four points for the U.S.—the country's lowest score of any figure skating event so far. Japan, Russia and Canada earned 10, 9 and 8 points, respectively in this event in the short program.


Viewing Information
What: Team ladies' free skating
Where: Iceberg Skating Palace
Watch: NBC
TV Time: 11:05 a.m. ET
Live Stream: NBC Olympics Live Extra


Outlook
Russia's 15-year-old sensation Yulia Lipnitskaya stole the show in the ladies' short program and earned 10 points for her country. Gracie Gold of Team USA will need to put together a solid performance to overtake Italy and Japan—both countries scored higher during the short program as well.

Viewing Information
What: Team ice dance free dance
Where: Iceberg Skating Palace
Watch: NBC
TV Time: 12:10 p.m. ET
Live Stream: NBC Olympics Live Extra


Outlook
This is where the U.S. can really make up some ground. Meryl Davis and Charlie White were absolutely dazzling during their short dance and look to duplicate their performance on Sunday. This was Russia's weakest event, as they came away with their lowest point total (eight) of the competition during the short dance.

Prediction
While the U.S. has plenty of ground to make up, they certainly have a great chance of reaching the podium. They may not be able to overtake Russia at this point; however, if Abbott can deliver a stronger showing, and the Davis-White combo can recreate their success, Team USA can definitely pass Canada and claim a silver medal here.

Gold: Russia
Silver: United States
Bronze: Canada

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Olympic Figure Skating Schedule 2014: TV Info and Top Storylines in Sochi

In accordance with several other changes to the Winter Olympics, one of the event's most stable mainstays will also add in a new wrinkle.
The Olympic Committee decided that there's no "I" in "figure skating," adding in a team element that gives everyone another chance at earning a medal. Should we tell them about the two I's in figure skating?
This will not involve team members tossing a skater into the air as she spins into the arms of a waiting teammate, but each country will select one entrant for each program, and the points will be added up and ranked as a unit.
Will this new aspect of Olympic figure skating work out well? What else is worth watching, and where and when can viewers watch it? Here's all the essential information.
2014 Olympic Figure Skating TV Schedule Date Event NBC Sports Airing (ET) NBC Airing (ET) Feb. 8 Women's Short Program, Pairs' Free Skate 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. 8-11:30 p.m. Feb. 9 Team: Men's Free Skate, Women's Free Skate, Free Dance 10 a.m.-1 p.m. 2-6 p.m., 8-11:30 p.m. Feb. 11 Pairs Short Program 10 a.m.-1:45 p.m. 8-11:30 p.m. Feb. 12 Pairs Free Skate 10 a.m.-1:45 p.m. 8-11:30 p.m. Feb. 13 Men's Short Program 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 8-11:30 p.m. Feb. 14 Men's Free Skate 10 a.m.-2:15 p.m. 8-11:30 p.m. Feb. 16 Short Dance 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 7-11 p.m. Feb. 17 Free Dance 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. 8-11:30 p.m. Feb. 19 Women's Short Program 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 8-11:30 p.m. Feb. 20 Women's Free Skate 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 8-11:30 p.m.

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US Olympic Hockey Team 2014: Full Schedule and Predictions for Women's Squad

Todd Korol/Getty Images 84 Reads 0 Comments It is no secret that the United States and Canada are the teams to beat heading into the women's hockey tournament at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. They have combined to win four gold medals, three silvers and one bronze since the debut of women's hockey in the 1998 Nagano Games, and they have continued to thrive ever since.
Although it isn't totally inconceivable that a team like Finland could potentially play spoiler, it will be a major shock if Team USA and Canada don't make it to the gold-medal game. Due to the new format implemented to make the tournament more competitive, the United States and Canada will also meet in group play, so the bitter rivals will have seen enough of each other by the time the event comes to an end.
Canada is a slight favorite to win the tournament at 5-6, while Team USA is just behind at 1-1, according to Bovada. Canada has won gold in three straight Olympics, but the Americans enter Sochi having beaten Canada four consecutive times.
Here is Team USA's full schedule, along with predictions for how they will fare in Sochi as they vie for their second Olympic gold.
United States Women's Hockey Olympic Schedule Opponent Date Time (ET) Watch Finland Saturday, Feb. 8 3 a.m. NBCSN Switzerland Monday, Feb. 10 5 a.m. NBCSN Canada Wednesday, Feb. 12 7:30 a.m. NBCSN Quarterfinals (if necessary) Saturday, Feb. 15 TBD TBD Semifinals (if necessary) Monday, Feb. 17 TBD TBD Bronze-Medal Game (if necessary) Thursday, Feb. 20 7 a.m. NBCSN Gold-Medal Game (if necessary) Thursday, Feb. 20 12 p.m.

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Alpine Skiing Downhill Olympics 2014: Complete Men's and Women's Schedule

Some of the most indelible images from the Winter Olympics often come from the Alpine skiing events. The altitude, speed and grace at which these athletes perform is amazing.
In Sochi, fans should expect more memorable moments and performances from the world's best.
Here's a look at the full men's and women's schedule. All television coverage will come via NBC and the NBC Sports network.

Schedule
(Per NBCOlympics.com)
Feb. 9: Men’s downhill, 3 a.m. EST
Feb. 10: Women’s super combined, 3 a.m. EST
Feb. 12: Women’s downhill, 3 a.m. EST
Feb. 14: Men’s super combined, 3 a.m. EST
Feb. 15: Women’s super-G, 3 a.m. EST
Feb. 16: Men’s super-G, 3 a.m. EST
Feb. 18: Women’s giant slalom, 3 a.m. EST
Feb. 19: Men’s giant slalom, 3 a.m. EST
Feb. 21: Women’s slalom, 7:45 a.m. EST
Feb. 22: Men’s slalom, 7:45 a.m. EST

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2014 Winter Olympics: Full NBC TV Schedule for Day 1 Events

The 2014 Winter Olympic Games from Sochi, Russia are one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year, and the Day 1 festivities are scheduled to kick off on Thursday, Feb. 6 on NBC.

Which sport are you most excited to see on Day 1? Snowboarding Skiing Figure Skating Submit Vote vote to see results Which sport are you most excited to see on Day 1? Snowboarding 23.5% Skiing 35.3% Figure Skating 41.2% Total votes: 17 With the introduction of men’s and women’s slopestyle snowboarding, women’s moguls skiing and team figure skating kicking off the games, sports fans from all walks of life will want to tune in to an action-packed opening night of coverage.

All of the events will be taped earlier in the day due to the vast time difference from the United States to Russia, and NBC will show the replay on its main channel later in the night for fans in America.

Here is all the vital viewing information for Day 1 of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

 

Where: Sochi, Russia

When: Thursday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. ET

Watch: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports LiveExtra

 

2014 Winter Olympics Day 1 Schedule Sport Discipline Time (ET) Snowboarding Men's Slopestyle Qualification 1 a.m. Snowboarding Women's Slopestyle Qualification 5 a.m. Freestyle Skiing Women's Moguls Qualification 9 a.m. Figure Skating Team - Men's Short Program 10:30 a.m. Figure Skating Team - Pairs Short Program 12:10 p.m. Source: NBC Sports. Events will be aired on NBC at 8 p.m. ET

 

Athletes to Watch on Day 1

Shaun White, Men’s Slopestyle Snowboarding

The introduction of slopestyle snowboarding at the Winter Olympics is one of the biggest stories of the games, but the focus on Day 1 will be on how action sports superstar Shaun White performs in the event.

White is a five-time X Games gold medalist in the men’s slopestyle classification.

While all of the other competitors pale in comparison to White in terms of mainstream notoriety, these will be the best athletes in the world competing to take the crown as the top performer and to become the man that took down a legend.

As exciting as it will be to see the slopestyle course in the Olympics for the first time on Thursday, Feb. 6, the fact that this is a qualification round indicates that the fans will not be treated to the biggest tricks.

There will be several unproven talents that go all-out to ensure a spot in the medal rounds, but men like White will not show his full arsenal this early in the event.

It will be fun to see White usher in a new era at the Winter Olympics, but we won’t see his best tricks just yet.

 

Hannah Kearney, Women’s Mogule Skiing

There is no better women’s mogul skier on Team USA—and possibly in the world—than Hannah Kearney, and the defending gold medalist will look to add to her already impressive resume by dominating in Sochi.

Kearney faltered in 2006 during the qualification round and missed the chance to contend for a medal, but she will not let that happen in 2014. She will rise to the occasion and show the field why she is considered the favorite to finish in first place.

After winning the gold in moguls at the 2013 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships and taking home the Women’s World Cup in moguls for four straight years (2009-2013), Kearney knows that this is her chance to prove that she is the greatest female athlete in the sport’s history.

Dominating Sochi starts with a great qualifying run.

 

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