Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Stephen Whyno

The victory lap for America's Olympic hockey champions quietly shed politics from the celebration

APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics Ice Hockey - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

It took until noon on Saturday, less than 12 hours before showtime, for the script to arrive.

The opening monologue for “Saturday Night Live,” of all things, was about to become a turning point in a national celebration that had somehow gone sideways in the week after the U.S. won Olympic gold in men’s and women’s hockey. Instead of basking in the glory of twice beating rival Canada in overtime, players like Hilary Knight and Megan Keller on the women’s side and Jack and Quinn Hughes on the men’s side were fielding questions about politics and sexism.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.