MILAN — Marie-Philip Poulin won’t dispute how good the Americans have looked in romping through the women’s hockey tournament at the Milan Cortina Games. And Canada’s captain will readily acknowledge her team has yet to come close to playing its best.

What matters to Poulin is an opportunity to play in a one-game showdown with the gold medal on the line on Thursday.

United States’ Abbey Murphy (37) celebrates after scoring a goal against Sweden during the second period of a women’s ice hockey semifinal match at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

“Obviously, we know they’re a talented team, a skilled team. They’ve had a lot of success this year, obviously against us, and we’re all aware of that,” Poulin said. “For us as a group, it’s going to be all about us, all about our heart and everything we’re going to put on that ice.”

The U.S. and Canada will face off for Olympic gold for a seventh time since women’s hockey debuted at the 1998 Nagano Games in a rivalry between the sport’s two global powers that never gets old.

And this time, the Americans are the favorites.

The U.S. clinched its berth with a 5-0 win over Sweden in semifinal play on Monday. And the defending champion Canadians followed with Poulin scoring twice to set the Olympic career goal record in a too-close-for-comfort 2-1 victory over Switzerland.

For the Americans, it didn’t matter who they faced in a tournament they have dominated by going 6-0 and outscoring their opponents by a combined margin of 31-1.

“We’ve played them quite a few times, so obviously, won’t be surprised,” Olympics veteran and Roseville graduate Lee Stecklein said. “Whoever we face, we’ve got to be ready for that challenge.”

Goalie Aerin Frankel stopped 21 shots for her third shutout of the tournament, and the Americans blew the game open with Gophers wing Abbey Murphy, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Hayley Scamurra scoring on consecutive shots over a 2:47 span late in the second period. Cayla Barnes opened the scoring. Taylor Heise, a former Gophers star from Lake City, also scored.

The U.S. has yet to trail or be tied after 0-0 and is in position to become the third women’s team to do so over the entire tournament, joining Canada in 2006 and 2010. The Americans also extended their shutout streak to 331 minutes, 23 seconds, going back to Czechia’s Barbora Jurickova beating Frankel on a breakaway in the second period of a tournament-opening 5-1 win.

“I think we’re looking incredible. The whole tournament we’ve really been consistent,” Scamurra said. “I don’t even think we’re at the peak, but I think our peak is getting that gold medal in hand for sure.”

The Canadians’ performance has been left open to questions and concerns.

Aside from eking out a win over Switzerland, the defending Olympic champions dropped a 5-0 decision to the U.S. in the preliminary round — an outing Poulin missed because of a right knee injury.

The outcome marked the first time Canada has been shut out, and was its most lopsided loss in Olympic play. The Americans also hold the edge by having won seven straight dating to beating Canada twice at the world championships in April.

“I personally love the underdog mentality,” Canadian defender Renata Fast said.

United States’ Taylor Heise (27) celebrates after scoring her side’s second goal during a women’s ice hockey semifinal game between the United States and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

“There’s been a lot of noise on the outside, but there has been tons of belief in the locker room and we’ve gone through a ton of adversity this year,” she added. “This is the moment we have been fighting for, to play for gold. And no better matchup than to play Team USA. I’m so excited, and excited to see the fight that this group brings.”

Against Switzerland, Poulin opened the scoring 1:49 into the second period by skipping a shot from between the circles that bounced and banked in off goalie Andrea Braendli’s stick. She made it 2-0 some 6 minutes later by converting a rebound.

Poulin now has 20 career Olympics goals and broke the record of 18 held by former teammate and Hockey Hall of Famer Hayley Wickenheiser.

Now it’s on to the gold medal game with U.S. seeking its third title after winning in 1998 and 2018. The Canadians are looking for their sixth.

“Nothing matters. It’s the gold medal game,” Heise said of a potential rematch against Canada. “Obviously, I’m going to say we’ve done great and we’ve had great success. You want to take that confidence and motivation, but you want to move forward. We’re going to look for us and we’re going do what we need to do on Thursday and hopefully come out on top.”

It could very well be the last meeting between the two teams’ long-time stars, five-time Olympians Poulin, nicknamed “Captain Clutch,” and U.S. captain Hilary Knight, who already has announced these will be her final Games.

Sweden and Switzerland will play for bronze in a rematch of their meeting at the 2014 Sochi Games. Switzerland won 4-3 to win its first and only women’s hockey medal. The Swedes are seek their third Olympic medal, and first since winning silver at the 2006 Turin Games after upsetting the U.S. in the semifinals.

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By BETTY LIU, Voracious

Sticky rice, aka sweet glutinous rice, is best steamed so its plump, chewy grains are ready to sponge up all the flavor. This dish from my cookbook “The Chinese Way” is a riff on lo mai gai, a dim sum classic.

I created it almost by accident when I was obsessed with tomato paste and the umami it can contribute. The result is reminiscent of paella, but with the classic sticky-chewy texture of sweet glutinous rice.

You’ll end up with a bit of crispy browned rice at the bottom of the pan — scrape it up, fold it into the final mix and savor those crispy bits. Please note, if using salted stock, omit the teaspoon of kosher salt.

This cover image released by Voracious shows “The Chinese Way” by Betty Liu. (Voracious via AP)

Tomato-Bacon Sticky Rice

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 cups (460 g) glutinous rice, such as sweet rice or sticky rice, soaked in water overnight
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons tomato paste, divided
8 ounces (225 g) thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch of red pepper flakes
5 ounces (140 g) shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (2 loosely packed cups), or 8 to 10 dried shiitakes rehydrated in hot water for 1 hour, then sliced
3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups (360 g) unsalted chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Rinse and drain the sticky rice. Place rice in a shallow heat-proof bowl that will fit into your steamer. Steam in two batches if needed.

2. Mix the soy sauce with 1 tablespoon of the tomato paste in a small bowl. Toss with the sticky rice until evenly mixed.

3. Set a bamboo steamer over 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a brisk simmer.

4. Place the bowl in the steamer, cover, and steam over medium-high heat for 15 minutes or until the rice is translucent and sticky. (It won’t be cooked all the way through.)

5. Meanwhile, place the bacon in a single layer in a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. Set the skillet over medium heat and cook, turning occasionally, until the bacon is crispy and the fat has rendered, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper-towel–lined plate. When it is cool enough to handle, chop it into ½-inch pieces and set aside.

6. Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat, keeping 1 tablespoon in reserve. Heat over medium-low heat. Add the fennel seeds, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook undisturbed for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned.

7. If the pan is dry, add the reserved tablespoon bacon fat. Add the white parts of the scallion and the garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until softened. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons tomato paste and let caramelize, about 5 minutes.

8. Reduce the heat to low, then add 1 cup of the stock, the sugar, and the salt and stir to combine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the steamed sticky rice and toss to combine, stirring gently and continuously until all the stock is absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes.

9. Add the remaining ½ cup stock and the reserved bacon and mix to combine. Cover and steam for another 5 to 8 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked, sticky, and plump.

10. Fold in the green parts of the scallions, top with lemon zest, and add a squeeze of lemon and serve immediately.

This image released by Voracious shows a recipe for tomato bason sticky rice, from the cookbook “The Chinese Way” by Betty Liu. (Betty Liu/Voracious via AP)

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Betty Liu is a cookbook author, photographer and doctor completing her surgical residency. Her debut book was “My Shanghai.” Her work has been featured in Bon Appétit, Epicurious and The New York Times. She lives in Boston with her husband, son and dog.

Excerpted from “The Chinese Way” by Betty Liu. Copyright (copyright) 2024 by Betty Liu. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tony Clark is resigning as head of the Major League Baseball Players Association, a person familiar with union’s deliberations said Tuesday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because his decision, first reported by ESPN, had not been announced. The person said an announcement was likely later Tuesday.

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Clark’s decision comes during an investigation by the U.S. Attorney in Brooklyn, New York, into One Team Partners, a licensing company founded by the union and the NFL Players Association.

The move was made ahead of an expected start of collective bargaining in April for an agreement to replace the five-year labor contract that expires Dec. 1. Management appears on track to propose a salary cap, which possibly could lead to a work stoppage that causes regular-season games to be canceled for the first time since 1985.

The union on Monday canceled Tuesday’s start of the staff’s annual tour of the 30 spring training camps.

Clark, 53, is a former All-Star first baseman who became the first player to head the Union.

He last played in 2008 and was a member of the union staff when Michael Weiner was diagnosed with brain tumor.

He took over as union head when Weiner died in late 2013 and led players through negotiations that led to agreements in 2016 and 2022, the latter after a 99-day lockout.

Bruce Meyer, who was the lead negotiator under Clark in 2021-22, was promoted to deputy executive director in the summer of 2022 and is slated to again head negotiation.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

By Rachana Pradhan, KFF Health News

The National Cancer Institute, the federal research agency charged with leading the war against the nation’s second-largest killer, is studying ivermectin as a potential cancer treatment, according to its top official.

“There are enough reports of it, enough interest in it, that we actually did — ivermectin, in particular — did engage in sort of a better preclinical study of its properties and its ability to kill cancer cells,” said Anthony Letai, a physician the Trump administration appointed as NCI director in September.

Letai did not cite new evidence that might have prompted the institute to research the effectiveness of the antiparasitic drug against cancer. The drug, largely used to treat people or animals for infections caused by parasites, is a popular dewormer for horses.

“We’ll probably have those results in a few months,” Letai said. “So we are taking it seriously.”

He spoke about ivermectin at a Jan. 30 event, “Reclaiming Science: The People’s NIH,” with National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya and other senior agency officials at Washington, D.C.’s Willard Hotel. The MAHA Institute hosted the discussion, framed by the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The National Cancer Institute is the largest of the NIH’s 27 branches.

During the COVID pandemic, ivermectin’s popularity surged as fringe medical groups promoted it as an effective treatment. Clinical trials have found it isn’t effective against COVID.

Ivermectin has become a symbol of resistance against the medical establishment among MAHA adherents and conservatives. Like-minded commentators and wellness and other online influencers have hyped — without evidence — ivermectin as a miracle cure for a host of diseases, including cancer. Trump officials have pointed to research on ivermectin as an example of the administration’s receptiveness to ideas the scientific establishment has rejected.

“If lots of people believe it and it’s moving public health, we as NIH have an obligation, again, to treat it seriously,” Bhattacharya said at the event. According to The Chronicle at Duke University, Bhattacharya recently said he wants the NIH to be “the research arm of MAHA.”

The decision by the world’s premier cancer research institute to study ivermectin as a cancer treatment has alarmed career scientists at the agency.

“I am shocked and appalled,” one NCI scientist said. “We are moving funds away from so much promising research in order to do a preclinical study based on nonscientific ideas. It’s absurd.”

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KFF Health News granted the scientist and other NCI workers anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the press and fear retaliation.

HHS and the National Cancer Institute did not answer KFF Health News’ questions on the amount of money the cancer institute is spending on the study, who is carrying it out, and whether there was new evidence that prompted NCI to look into ivermectin as an anticancer therapy. Emily Hilliard, an HHS spokesperson, said NIH is dedicated to “rigorous, gold-standard research,” something the administration has repeatedly professed.

A preclinical study is an early phase of research conducted in a lab to test whether a drug or treatment may be useful and to assess potential harms. These studies take place before human clinical trials.

The scientist questioned whether there is enough initial evidence to warrant NCI’s spending of taxpayer funds to investigate the drug’s potential as a cancer treatment.

The FDA has approved ivermectin for certain uses in humans and animals. Tablets are used to treat conditions caused by parasitic worms, and the FDA has approved ivermectin lotions to treat lice and rosacea. Two scientists involved in its discovery won the Nobel Prize in 2015, tied to the drug’s success in treating certain parasitic diseases.

The FDA has warned that large doses of ivermectin can be dangerous. Overdoses can cause seizures, comas, or death.

Kennedy, supporters of the MAHA movement, and some conservative commentators have promoted the idea that the government and pharmaceutical companies quashed ivermectin and other inexpensive, off-patent drugs because they’re not profitable for the drug industry.

“FDA’s war on public health is about to end,” Kennedy wrote in an October 2024 X post that has since gone viral. “This includes its aggressive suppression of psychedelics, peptides, stem cells, raw milk, hyperbaric therapies, chelating compounds, ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, vitamins, clean foods, sunshine, exercise, nutraceuticals and anything else that advances human health and can’t be patented by Pharma.”

Previous laboratory research has shown that ivermectin could have anticancer effects because it promotes cell death and inhibits the growth of tumor cells. “It actually has been studied both with NIH funds and outside of NIH funds,” Letai said.

However, there is no evidence that ivermectin is safe and effective in treating cancer in humans. Preliminary data from a small clinical trial that gave ivermectin to patients with one type of metastatic breast cancer, in combination with immunotherapy, found no significant benefit from the addition of ivermectin.

Some physicians are concerned that patients will delay or forgo effective cancer treatments, or be harmed in other ways, if they believe unfounded claims that ivermectin can treat their disease.

“Many, many, many things work in a test tube. Quite a few things work in a mouse or a monkey. It still doesn’t mean it’s going to work in people,” said Jeffery Edenfield, executive medical director of oncology for the South Carolina-based Prisma Health Cancer Institute.

Edenfield said cancer patients ask him about ivermectin “regularly,” mostly because of what they see on social media. He said he persuaded a patient to stop using it, and a colleague recently had a patient who decided “to forgo highly effective standard therapy in favor of ivermectin.”

“People come to the discussion having largely already made up their mind,” Edenfield said.

“We’re in this delicate time when there’s sort of a fundamental mistrust of medicine,” he added. “Some people are just not going to believe me. I just have to keep trying.”

A June letter by clinicians at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio detailed how an adolescent patient with metastatic bone cancer started taking ivermectin “after encountering social media posts touting its benefits.” The patient — who hadn’t been given a prescription by a clinician — experienced ivermectin-related neurotoxicity and had to seek emergency care because of nausea, fatigue, and other symptoms.

“We urge the pediatric oncology community to advocate for sensible health policy that prioritizes the well-being of our patients,” the clinicians wrote.

The lack of evidence about ivermectin and cancer hasn’t stopped celebrities and online influencers from promoting the notion that the drug is a cure-all. On a January 2025 episode of Joe Rogan’s podcast, actor Mel Gibson claimed that a combination of drugs that included ivermectin cured three friends with stage 4 cancer. The episode has been viewed more than 12 million times.

Lawmakers in a handful of states have made the drug available over the counter. And Florida — which, under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, has become a hotbed for anti-vaccine policies and the spread of public health misinformation — announced last fall that the state plans to fund research to study the drug as a potential cancer treatment.

The Florida Department of Health did not respond to questions about that effort.

Letai, previously a Dana-Farber Cancer Institute oncologist, started at the National Cancer Institute after months of upheaval caused by Trump administration policies.

“What you’re hearing at the NIH now is an openness to ideas — even ideas that scientists would say, ‘Oh, there’s no way it could work’ — but nevertheless applying rigorous scientific methods to those ideas,” Bhattacharya said at the Jan. 30 event.

A second NCI scientist, who was granted anonymity due to fear of retaliation, said the notion that NIH was not open to investigating the value of off-label drugs in cancer is “ridiculous.”

“This is not a new idea they came up with,” the scientist said.

Letai didn’t elaborate on whether NCI scientists are conducting the research or if it has directed funding to an outside institution. Three-quarters of the cancer institute’s research dollars go to outside scientists.

He also aimed to temper expectations.

“At least on a population level,” Letai said, “it’s not going to be a cure-all for cancer.”

©2026 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.