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5 to Watch Recap: U.S. Struggles Again in Figure Skating, Shani Davis Falls Short in Signature Event

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For Americans, Friday in Pyeongchang was full of questions.

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Could Mirai Nagasu, Bradie Tennell and Karen Chen recover from a disastrous opening night in the women’s individual figure skating competition? Would 35-year-old Shani Davis be able to turn back the clock and deliver one more golden performance in his signature event? If the best hockey players in the world were in the Olympics, would Team USA still be playing?

Here are the events you might have missed in the last 24 hours in Pyeongchang:

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1. Russian Zagitova Wins Figure Skating Gold, Edges Medvedeva

The women’s free skate was billed to be a battle of the Russians and it lived up to the hype.

Alina Zagitova capped her meteoric rise with Olympic women’s figure skating gold, topping fellow Russian skater Evgenia Medvedeva Friday. The 15-year-old Zagitova led Medvedeva by 1.31 points after the short program and delivered a stunning free skate. Medvedeva matched her free skate -- both scored exactly 156.65 -- but that wasn't enough to catch up.

This is not the first time Zagitova has edged Medvedeva — Medvedeva had not lost a competition in more than two years before Zagitova beat her at this year’s European Championships.

Canada’s Kaetlyn Osmond won bronze.

The three American figure skaters — Karen Chen, Bradie Tennell and Mirai Nagasu — all stumbled at various points in their free skates. Tennell finished ninth, Nagasu 10th and Chen 11th.

But Mirai Nagasu's post-skate interview still turned some heads. 

How to Watch: You can catch replays of each performance on digital platforms here.

Must-see: Did Tara Lipinski Jinx US Figure Skaters? Twitter Thinks So

Nagasu Thought of Skate as 'Dancing With the Stars' Audition

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2. Dutch Speedskater Takes Gold in Shani Davis’ Signature Event

The 1000-meter sprint was Shani Davis’ event. He won gold medals in the event in 2006 and 2010. His world record time of 1:06.42, set in 2009, still stands.

But it’s been nearly a decade since Davis, one of America’s greatest speedskaters ever, turned in those record-setting performances - and it turned out, the 35-year-old Chicagoan didn't manage to find one last magical performance at the Pyeongchang Games.

The race was won by Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands, the gold medalist in the 1,500 meters last week and the 2017 world champion over 1,000 meters. He was followed by Norway’s Havard Lorentzen, who won gold in the 500 meters, and South Korea’s Kim Tae-Yun.

Davis finished seventh, .83 seconds slower than Nuis. And he wasn’t the fastest American in the race, either. Joey Mantia, who edged out Davis in the Olympic qualifying race in January, just missed out on the podium, coming in fourth place.

How to Watch: Catch a full replay here.

Must-see: Canadian Hockey Player Yanks Off Silver Medal After Loss to US

3. Men’s Biathlon Relay: No Fourth for Fourcade

Sweden captured the gold medal in the men’s 4x7.5-kilometer relay in front of their king, Carl XVI Gustaf, to close out the biathlon competition at the Pyeongchang Games. It’s Sweden’s first-ever gold medal in the event. Biathlon powerhouse Norway finished in second for the silver medal. The Germans won bronze, marking the seventh time they have medaled in this event in the last eight Olympics.

That kept France’s Martin Fourcade from claiming his fourth biathlon gold medal in Pyeongchang. The team led by Fourcade finished in fifth place.

But Fourcade has already established himself in Pyeongchang as France’s most successful Olympian ever.

When he anchored the mixed biathlon relay team to a come-from-behind victory on Tuesday, he became only the second athlete from France to win three gold medals at a single Winter Games. His five gold medals overall — the mixed relay, a photo finish in the 15-kilometer mass start and the 12.5-kilometer pursuit, plus gold in the individual and pursuit events in 2014 — are the most ever by a Frenchman.

After Tuesday’s win, according to Reuters, he sent a message to French skier Mathieu Faivre, who was sent home by the French Alpine team for saying he did not care about the medals won by his teammates.

“I wanted this team medal, it’s such a different emotion from an individual medal,” he told French television. “This is an individual sport, and to win as a team is something beautiful, even if everyone cannot participate.”

How to Watch: Catch a full replay on digital platforms here, or watch on NBC’s daytime coverage on Friday at 2 p.m. CT.

Must-see: Patrick Kane's Message to Team USA After Hockey Gold Is Everything

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4. Men's Hockey Semfinals: Shock Loss for Canada as Germany Books Ticket to Face Russians

Upset alert!

Men's hockey powerhouse Canada couldn't make up a three-goal deficit to Olympic minnows Germany, losing 4-3 and crashing out of gold medal contention.

Canada, which won the last two Olympic gold medals, and nine overall, will have to settle for a trip to the bronze medal game, while Germany will take on the Olympic Atheltes from Russia in the gold medal game, after the Russians beat the Czech Republica 3-0.

Germany has only won two bronze medals in Olympic men's hockey, but this year's tournament is the first in two decades not to have NHL players, which changed the power dynamics in the tournament in Pyeongchang. Countries with more players in Europe's Kontinental Hockey League, based in Russia, suddenly had a better chance to win.

The Russians will be highly favored in the final, as they play for the Olympic men's hockey gold medal for the first time in 20 years thanks to a 34-year-old goaltender on a roll.

How to Watch: Watch a replay of OAR vs. the Czech Republic on digital platforms here. Watch a Canada vs. Germany replay on digital platforms here

Must-see: Katie Kim is Every Fan Watching US Women's Hockey Win Gold

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5. Canada Takes Gold and Silver in Women's Ski Cross Final

Even without its Sochi star, Canada dominated the women’s ski cross final, with Kelsey Serwa winning gold and Brittany Phelan taking silver.

Three-time Olympian Fanny Smith of Switzerland edged out Sweden’s Sandra Naeslund to earn bronze. Smith finished in the top 10 in the last two Games.

Serwa, who won silver in Sochi, faced a major setback in December 2016 when she damaged cartilage in her knee in a training accident, cutting her season short. She came back for the 2017-18 season with a vengeance, placing third at the World Cup season opener in Val Thorens, France.

Canadian Marielle Thompson failed to make it to the quarterfinal after an early crash. Thompson won gold in the event in Sochi, but in October she ruptured her ACL and MCL ligaments in a training accident.

Her Pyeongchang appearance came only four months after having her knee surgically repaired — her first serious runs since the accident were just days before the ski cross final.

No Americans contended for a medal. 

How to Watch: Catch a replay of all the action on digital platforms here.

Must-see: Watch Defending Champ's Shocking Ski Cross Wipeout

David Wise Breaks Down His Gold Medal Run

Kevin Rolland Takes Terrifying Spill in Men's Halfpipe

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