MILAN (AP) — After raving about his young players, goaltending and defender Caroline Harvey’s driving speed in a 5-0 win over Switzerland on Monday, U.S. coach John Wroblewski was quickly reminded of the next challenge ahead for his women’s hockey team at the Milan Cortina Games.

Alex Carpenter #25 of Team United States scores a goal against Andrea Braendli #20 of Team Switzerland in the third period during the Women’s Preliminary Round Group A match between the United States and Switzerland on day three of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 09, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Canada is up next. And with or without Marie-Philip Poulin — Canada’s “Captain Clutch — Wroblewski understands his team is in for a handful on Tuesday.

“Yeah, I heard about that. It’s a shame,” Wroblewski said of Poulin limping off the ice and missing the final two periods of Canada’s 5-1 win over Czechia.

Canada coach Troy Ryan said he didn’t have full details of Poulin’s apparent lower-body injury. He said it was too early to say whether she could play Tuesday.

“The interesting thing about looking forward to Canada is that every time we play them, it’s got a different life, a different culture,” Wroblewski said. “And so we’ll see what we get tomorrow night.”

The U.S. might be favored in the tournament, but the Canadians are the defending Olympic champions.

The Americans continued finding new contributors in winning their first three games by a combined score of 15-1. It was the youngsters’ time to shine against Switzerland.

Harvey and Joy Dunne, two of seven U.S. players still in college, each had a goal and two assists.

Gwyneth Philips #33 of Team United States makes a save against Rahel Enzler #21 of Team Switzerland in the first period during the Women’s Preliminary Round Group A match between the United States and Switzerland on day three of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 09, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Gwyneth Philips stopped 20 shots in her Olympic debut, and shared the shutout with Ava McNaughton, The 21-year-old McNaughton stopped one shot after being inserted with 1:48 left. Alex Carpenter, Hannah Bilka and Haley Winn also scored in an outing the Americans closed with three goals in the first 7:42 of the third period.

Captain Hilary Knight had two assists to increase her Olympic career point total to 31 — one short of matching the U.S. record set by Jenny Potter.

If not for Swiss goalie Andrea Braendli stopping 35 of the first 37 shots she faced, and 45 overall, the game could well have been an early rout.

“Switzerland’s goalie was awesome. She had some kind of force field going back there, I don’t know what,” Wroblewski said. “I think we just needed take a deep breath.”

Switzerland dropped to 1-2 and was shut out for the second straight outing following a 4-0 loss to Canada on Saturday.

“It takes it’s toll after a while, they just keep on coming at you,” Swiss coach Colin Muller said. “I thought we did a great job defensively and better offensively today. We had more courage than we had last game. It’s great to see. Every game we get better. If it ended up 3-1, I would’ve been happy.”

Though Switzerland tested the Americans early, Philips stood firm.

The second-year PWHL Ottawa Charge goalie kicked out her left skate just in time to stop a shot from Ivana Wey in the opening minute. Some 12 1/2 minutes in, Philips got her glove up to foil Rahel Enzler, who was set up on the doorstep.

Alex Carpenter #25 of Team United States celebrates with teammate Joy Dunne #24 after a goal in the third period during the Women’s Preliminary Round Group A match between the United States and Switzerland on day three of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 09, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Philips said the early action helped settle her nerves. And she was more than happy to share the shutout.

“I’m ecstatic. I’m so happy with Ava,” Philips said. “She’s one heck of a goalie and she deserves to be here and get some ice time.”

Then it was Harvey’s turn to take over. The offensive-minded defender drove up the left boards and sent a pass into the middle for Winn to redirect for the opening goal 6:04 in. Harvey capped the scoring by driving in from the left point and beating Braendli by jamming in the puck on the short side.

“It was a great game. Super fired up for the girls,” Harvey said, deflecting the credit. “Just driving my feet. Teammates were getting open and they were making stuff happen and it was a lot of fun with the girls tonight.”

After having limited playing time at the 2022 Beijing Games, the Wisconsin senior has been spurred by Wroblewski to use her speed and playmaking abilities.

“The amount of times that she drove was insane. I loved the initiatives that she takes,” the coach said. “I hope it keeps rolling, not only for her, but for her teammates.”

Kristin O’Neill #43 of Team Canada celebrates with teammate Marie-Philip Poulin #29 after a goal in the first period during the Women’s Preliminary Round Group A match between Czechia and Canada on day three of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena on February 09, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Poulin’s exit overshadows Canada win

After Poulin exited, her team responded with a rush of goals.

Canada was leading 1-0 on Kristin O’Neill’s goal when Poulin left the game after being rocked by an illegal hit from Kristyna Kaltounkova. Poulin then seemed to be keeping weight off her right leg as she left the ice seconds into her next shift.

The Canadians scored twice in a minute soon after, with goals by Laura Stacey and Sarah Fillier prompting the Czechs to pull starting goalie Julie Pejsova for Michaela Hesova. Canada moved to 2-0 for the tournament but was denied a second shutout when Natalie Mlynkova scored for the Czechs.

Italy’s Matilde Fantin (17) celebrates her goal during a preliminary round match of women’s ice hockey between Japan and Italy at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (Tao Xiyi/Pool Photo via AP)

Italy, Germany advance

Host nation Italy secured a place in the quarterfinals of the Olympic women’s hockey tournament for the first time by beating Japan 3-2 on Monday.

Germany followed by claiming its spot in the next round with a 2-1 overtime win over France.

Both Italy and Germany improved to 2-1 and joined Sweden (3-0) in completing the three Group B nations to clinch a quarterfinal berth. Japan and France were eliminated from contention.

Italy advanced in just its second Olympic appearance, both as the host, after going 0-4 at the 2006 Turin Games and finishing last among the eight-team field.

“I think this is everybody’s dream coming true,” Italy’s Canada-born goalie Gabriella Durante said. “Hopefully this just grows hockey in Italia that much more for little girls all over the country.”

Matilde Fantin scored twice, and Kristen Della Rovere’s third period goal stood up as the game winner.

Katarina Jobst-Smith #28 of Team Germany controls the puck against Clemence Boudin #85 of Team France in the first period during the Women’s Preliminary Round Group B match between Germany and France on day three of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena on February 09, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Jobst-Smith scores in OT

Katarina Jobst-Smith scored for Germany 1:17 into overtime by snapping in a shot from the high slot just inside the left post. Laura Kluge also scored and Sandra Abstreiter stopped 13 shots.

Estelle Duvin forced OT by scoring 8:21 into the third period, and Alice Philbert stopped 44 shots. France finished 0-4 in its Olympic debut, and was outscored by a combined margin of 13-4.

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White Bear Lake Police Chief Dale Hager will retire May 8, the city of White Bear Lake announced on Monday in a Facebook post.

Hager became chief in 2023 and overall spent 12 years with the city, including working as an administrative captain in the police department. He retires with 29 years of law enforcement experience.

“Serving this community and working alongside the men and women of this police department has been one of the great privileges of my career,” Hager said.

“I am deeply proud of the professionalism, commitment, and integrity our staff demonstrates every day, and of the meaningful improvements we have made over the past few years to strengthen public safety and best serve the communities of White Bear Lake and Gem Lake,” he said.

“Chief Hager’s number one priority upon being hired as chief of police was to bolster public engagement opportunities and he did just that — doubling the number of touch points throughout the community in his first year of leadership alone,” City Manager Lindy Crawford said, “He has also been a strong advocate for WBLPD staff, encouraging innovation and new approaches across many areas.”

The hiring process to replace Hager has begun, and the city said it anticipates filling the position by the spring.

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By KANIS LEUNG

HONG KONG (AP) — Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy former Hong Kong media tycoon and a fierce critic of Beijing, was sentenced on Monday to 20 years in prison in the longest punishment given so far under a China-imposed national security law that has virtually silenced the city’s dissent.

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Lai, 78, was convicted in December of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security, and conspiracy to publish seditious articles. The maximum penalty for his conviction was life imprisonment.

His co-defendants, six former employees of his Apple Daily newspaper and two activists, received prison terms of between 6 years and 3 months, and 10 years on collusion-related charges.

Lai smiled and waved at his supporters when he arrived for the sentence. But before he left the courtroom, he looked serious, as some people in the public gallery cried. When asked about whether they would appeal, his lawyer Robert Pang said no comment.

Lai’s daughter says he will die ‘a martyr’ in prison

The democracy advocate’s arrest and trial have raised concerns about the decline of press freedom in what was once an Asian bastion of media independence. The government insists the case has nothing to do with a free press, saying the defendants used news reporting as a pretext for years to commit acts that harmed China and Hong Kong.

Lai was one of the first prominent figures to be arrested under the security law in 2020. Within a year, some of Apple Daily’s senior journalists also were arrested and the newspaper shut down in June 2021.

Lai’s sentencing could heighten Beijing’s diplomatic tensions with foreign governments, which have criticized Lai’s conviction and sentencing.

FILE – Hong Kong publisher and prominent pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, right, walks through the Stanley prison in Hong Kong, Friday, July 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte, File)

U.S. President Donald Trump, who is expected to visit China in April, said he felt “so badly” after the verdict and noted he spoke to Chinese leader Xi Jinping about Lai and asked him “to consider his release.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X that Lai’s sentencing is an unjust and tragic conclusion to the case, urging authorities to grant Lai humanitarian parole.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government also has called for the release of Lai, who is a British citizen. U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called the prosecution “politically motivated,” saying the prison term is tantamount to a life sentence.

In a statement, Lai’s son, Sebastien, said the “draconian” prison term was devastating for his family and life-threatening for his father. “It signifies the total destruction of the Hong Kong legal system and the end of justice,” he said.

His sister Claire called the sentence “heartbreakingly cruel” in the same statement. “If this sentence is carried out, he will die a martyr behind bars,” she said.

Hong Kong leader John Lee said Lai’s sentence demonstrated the rule of law, citing his serious crimes.

“It’s bringing great satisfaction to the people,” he said in a statement.

In Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Lai is a Chinese citizen and called him a major planner and participant in a series of anti-China destabilizing activities in Hong Kong. He urged “relevant countries” to respect the rule of law in Hong Kong.

Judges ruled Lai was the mastermind

Lai founded Apple Daily, a now-defunct newspaper known for its critical reports against the governments in Hong Kong and Beijing. He was arrested in August 2020 under the security law that was used in a yearslong crackdown on many of Hong Kong’s leading activists.

In their ruling, three government-vetted judges wrote that the starting point of Lai’s sentence was increased because they found him to be the mastermind of the conspiracies. But they also reduced his penalty because they accepted that Lai’s age, health condition and solitary confinement would cause his prison life to be more burdensome than that of other inmates.

“Lai was no doubt the mastermind of all three conspiracies charged and therefore he warrants a heavier sentence,” they said “As regards the others, it is difficult to distinguish their relative culpability.”

They took into account that Lai is serving a prison term of five years and nine months in a separate fraud case and ruled that 18 years of Lai’s sentence in the security case should be served consecutively to that prison term.

Urania Chiu, lecturer in law at Oxford Brookes University, said the case is significant for its broad construction of seditious intent and application of the term “collusion with foreign forces” to certain activities by the media. The implication is particularly alarming for journalists and those working in academia, she said.

“Offering and publishing legitimate critiques of the state, which often involves engagement with international platforms and audiences, may now easily be construed as ‘collusion,’” Chiu said.

Lai has been in custody for more than five years. In January, Pang said Lai suffered health issues including heart palpitations, high blood pressure and diabetes. The prosecution said a medical report noted Lai’s general health condition remained stable. The government said his solitary confinement was at Lai’s wish.

Co-defendants get reduced sentences

The former Apple Daily staffers and activists involved in Lai’s case entered guilty pleas, which helped reduce their sentences Monday. They earlier admitted to the prosecution charge that said they conspired with Lai to request foreign forces to impose sanctions or blockades, or engage in other hostile activities against Hong Kong or China.

The convicted journalists are publisher Cheung Kim-hung, associate publisher Chan Pui-man, editor-in-chief Ryan Law, executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung, executive editor-in-chief responsible for English news Fung Wai-kong and editorial writer Yeung Ching-kee. They received prison terms ranging between six years and nine months, to 10 years.

The two activists, Andy Li and Chan Tsz-wah, were sentenced to six years and three months, and seven years and three months respectively.

The penalties for Cheung, Chan and Yeung, alongside the two activists, were reduced in part because they served as prosecution witnesses and the judges said their evidence had “significantly” contributed to the conviction of Lai.

Before sunrise, dozens of people stood in line outside the court building to secure a seat in the courtroom. One of them was former Apple Daily employee Tammy Cheung.

“Whatever happens, it’s an end — at least we’ll know the outcome,” Cheung said before the sentence was delivered.

Case considered a blow to Hong Kong media

Lai founded Apple Daily in 1995, two years before the former British colony returned to Chinese rule. Its closure in 2021 shocked the local press scene. Hong Kong ranked 140th out of 180 territories in the press-freedom index compiled by media freedom organization Reporters Without Borders in 2025, far from its 18th place in 2002.

Steve Li, chief superintendent of the police force’s National Security Department, welcomed the heavy sentence on Lai. “Obviously, he has done nothing good for Hong Kong that could serve as a basis for his mitigation,” he told reporters.

The government said it will confiscate assets related to Lai’s crime.

Human Rights Watch’s Asia Director Elaine Pearson said the harsh 20-year-sentence is effectively a death sentence, calling it cruel and unjust.

Associated Press writer Chan Ho-him contributed to this report

By STEVEN SLOAN and EDDIE PELLS

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — As the Winter Olympics opened in Milan, Vice President JD Vance hailed the competition as “one of the few things that unites the entire country.”

That unity didn’t last long.

The early days of the Milan Cortina Games have been roiled by the tumultuous political debate in the U.S. American athletes have faced persistent questions about President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement agenda and their comfort in representing a country whose policies are increasingly controversial on the world stage.

FILE – Hunter Hess, of the United States, executes a trick in the halfpipe finals during the World Cup U.S. Grand Prix freestyle skiing event in Copper Mountain, Colo., Dec. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Hugh Carey, File)

“There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of and I think a lot of people aren’t,” American freestyle skier Hunter Hess said as he spoke of the “mixed emotions” of representing the U.S. “If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

That prompted a fast response from Trump, who said on social media that Hess was a “real loser” who “shouldn’t have tried out for the team.”

“Very hard to root for someone like this,” the president added.

The criticism of an American athlete from a U.S. president was a sharp departure from the unifying, apolitical tones the White House typically strikes during the Olympics, highlighting how the tension over the enforcement of Trump’s immigration policies has now bled into athletic competition. Other leading conservative voices, ranging from podcaster Megyn Kelly to a Republican candidate for governor in Florida, added to the critique of Hess, with some calling for him to be taken off the U.S. team.

By Monday, other top athletes who have previously found themselves in political controversy were rallying to Hess’ defense.

United States’ Chloe Kim speaks during a press conference at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

“In moments like these, it is really important for us to unite and kind of stand up for one another for all that’s going on,” said Chloe Kim, the two-time Olympic gold medalist whose parents are South Korean immigrants and who has faced racism throughout her career for her Asian heritage.

After her silver-medal win in slopestyle, Eileen Gu, who was born in San Francisco and competes for China, said she had been in touch with Hess, who told her she was one of the few people who could relate to what he’s going through.

“As someone who’s been caught in the crossfire before, I feel sorry for the athletes,” said Gu, whose decision to compete for China drew sharp critiques.

The Olympics are never walled off from politics

FILE – Extending gloved hands skyward in protest, U.S. athletes Tommie Smith, center, and John Carlos stare downward during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” after Smith received the gold and Carlos the bronze medal in the 200 meter run at the Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City on Oct. 16, 1968. (AP Photo/File)

The Olympics are never walled off from the political and cultural debates. The raised fists of Tommie Smith and John Carlos during the 1968 Olympics remain one of the most powerful and enduring images of protest and resistance to racial injustice in the U.S. Since then, political commentary from athletes has become more commonplace, aided by social media platforms that allow competitors to share their real-time thoughts on everything from food and nutrition to news of the day.

The comments from athletes in Italy are notable, however, because they’re coming at the biggest global sporting event to occur since federal agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis last month, reigniting a debate in the U.S. and abroad over Trump’s hard-line immigration measures.

Chris Lillis, another American freestyle skier, said he felt “heartbroken about what’s happening in the United States.”

“As a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens as well as anybody with love and respect,” he said. “I hope that when people look at athletes competing in the Olympics, they realize that that’s the America that we’re trying to represent.”

United States’ Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates on podium after winning an alpine ski, women’s World Cup slalom, in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Skiing star Mikaela Shiffrin quoted Nelson Mandela as she acknowledged “a lot of hardship in the world globally, and there’s a lot of heartbreak, there’s a lot of violence.”

“It can be tough to reconcile that when you’re also competing for medals in an Olympic event,” she said. “I’m really hoping to show up and represent my own values, values of inclusivity, values of diversity and kindness and sharing, tenacity, work ethic, showing up with my team every single day.”

For the most part, athletes are largely engaging in political conversation during news conferences when they’re specifically asked to respond to news events. At one such press event, American figure skater Amber Glenn, an outspoken LGBTQ+ rights activist, noted that the queer community is going through a “hard time” under Trump. She later said she would step back from social media after receiving threats on the platform.

Political controversy can put athletes at an uneasy intersection as they weigh whether to use their platforms to take a stance or avoid anything that might upset their fans or sponsors. During last month’s Australian Open tennis tournament, American Amanda Anisimova said questions about U.S. politics were not “relevant.” Another American player, Taylor Fritz, said he felt that “whatever I say here is going to get put in a headline and it’s going to get taken out of context.”

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“So I’d really rather not do something that’s going to cause a big distraction for me in the middle of the tournament,” he said.

Back at the Olympics, U.S. speedskater Casey Dawson, said “we definitely know the whole situation going on in the USA” while noting that “politics don’t apply to us” at the Games.

“We’re here to skate,” said Dawson, who finished eighth in the men’s 5,000 meters on Sunday with Vance and his family in the stands. “We’re here to skate. We’re here to perform.”

The spotlight on the U.S. that comes with global sports will only intensify in the coming years. The U.S., along with Canada and Mexico, will host this year’s World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles. While there’s little chance that political tensions in the U.S. will ease in that time, some hope that sports will serve as a way for people to process their disagreements and ultimately come together.

“There’s this really magical thing that sport can do,” said Ashleigh Huffman, who was the chief of sports diplomacy at the State Department during the Biden and first Trump administrations. “It can lower the temperature of the room.”

Sloan reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Howard Fendrich and Graham Dunbar in Milan contributed to this report.