During the Winter Olympics from February 6, 2026, to February 22, 2026, professional men and women ice hockey players competed for gold medals. Both the men’s and women’s teams won and earned gold medals for the United States. The teams performed well during the preliminary rounds, qualifiers, and semifinals.
Some students watched the games and talked about the results. Liam Martinez, a sixth grader, shared his reaction to the men’s team winning gold.
“In all honesty, I don’t watch hockey all the time, but I got to watch the ending of this game. It was very exciting to see the USA take control over the game,” Martinez stated.
The captain of the men’s team is Auston Matthews, who plays center. The center position helps lead the offense and support the defense. Matthews has received several awards during his career, including the Ted Lindsay Trophy, which is given to the most outstanding player in the league. According to the NHL’s official website, he has also won the Hart Trophy, Calder Trophy, Maurice Richard Trophy, and has been selected for the NHL All-Star Team.
Reed Martire, another sixth grader, spoke about the women’s team captain, Hilary Knight.
“I really idolized Hilary Knight [captain] because she skates across the ice, leading her team in the process …”
Knigh plays tforward for the Seattle Torrents. Forwards help score goals and create offense for their team. Knight has earned 10 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championship gold medals, 15 total World Championship medals, and two Olympic gold medals, along with five Olympic medals in total, according to USA Hockey’s website.
The Winter Olympics is a worldwide sports event that takes place every four years. Athletes from many countries compete in sports such as curling, bobsled, ice hockey, and others.
