It may not be possible to catch all the best moments in a single day of the Olympic Games, but we’re going to try. Every day, we’ll award medals for standout achievements at (and around) Pyeongchang 2018 and feats that may or may not be recognized on the podium (and may or may not even be of an athletic nature).
Day 14 of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games featured a cool Kessel moment, a touching gesture by Lindsey Vonn and more.
Gold medal for sibling rivalry
By now you probably already know that Pittsburgh Penguins forward Phil Kessel has a famous sister — Amanda, member of the U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team.
The same U.S. squad that defeated Canada to capture a gold medal on Wednesday night.
Phil stayed up late to watch his younger sibling compete and score a key shootout marker in the eventual 3-2 win.
“Obviously, I was nervous. It was a tight game.” Phil told media on Thursday following a Penguins practice, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
“I think (Amanda) can’t believe it,” added Kessel, who spoke with his sister before and after the game. “They worked so hard. The girls worked so hard to get there. It’s every four years, and that’s the biggest game they get a chance to play in.
Phil Kessel on winning the Stanley Cup and Amanda earning a gold medal: "It’s been a good run. Hopefully we can keep it going.”
The Kessels are on fire. pic.twitter.com/RiLFlnn1hR
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 22, 2018
“She missed a lot of time with her concussion … and to be able to win a gold medal, it’s a special accomplishment and I’m really proud of her.”
Gold medal for touching gesture
Lindsey Vonn broke down in tears earlier this week when discussing her late grandfather and on Thursday, the U.S. skier revealed how she honoured him in South Korea.
Vonn said she scattered some of her grandfather’s ashes on a rock near the mountain where she competed in downhill races. Her grandfather, Don Kildow, served the U.S. during the Korean War.
“I know that it would mean a lot to him to be back here. A part of him is in South Korea always,” Vonn told The Associated Press.
Kildow died in November.
Vonn, 33, won a bronze medal earlier this week and on Thursday, she missed the podium in what was likely the final Olympic race of her career.
Gold medal to the underdog
It’s the elephant in this article, so we might as well get this over with: Congrats to the German men’s hockey team for defeating the defending-champion Canadians.
Germany jumped out to a three-goal lead and managed to hold on, defeating Canada 4-3 to earn a spot in the gold medal contest against Russia.
Canadian Twitter was ablaze with the tired, old “Canada is burning” posts, but there were several that went a little deeper than that, offering somewhat consoling perspective. Here’s a quick look:
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