Must-see Olympic events

For the first time ever, Olympics carrier NBC will be streaming all events live from the Winter Games in Sochi. Regardless, here’s a primer for what to expect during the Olympics in Russia – the events you don’t want to miss, whether it be morning, noon, or night.

(All times listed are Eastern)

Thursday, Feb. 6

 
The events begin a day ahead of the Opening Ceremonies, with Vermont native Hannah Kearney taking the first step toward defending her 2010 gold medal in freestyle moguls. The qualification runs take place at 9 a.m. (ET). The event will be broadcast as part of NBC’s prime-time coverage Thursday evening beginning at 8.
 
Other notable events: Team figure skating short program, men’s and pairs.

Friday, Feb. 7

 
It’s a light schedule with the Opening Ceremonies taking place (11 a.m., but broadcast at night). The men’s downhill will host its second training run in advance of Sunday’s medal event (1 a.m.), and the women’s super combined will also hold its second training preparing for Monday’s medal round (3 a.m.).

 
Saturday, Feb. 8

 
Although Shaun White won’t be in the mix, sidelined with an injury, his fellow snowboarders look to win the first gold medal in Olympic slopestyle, making its debut in Sochi (3:45 a.m.), while Hannah Kearney hopes to defend her gold medal in the women’s mogul competition. Both events will be broadcast as part of NBC’s prime-time coverage.
 
Other notable medal events: Men’s speed skating (5,000 meter), women’s skiathlon 15K classic, both part of live coverage on NBC Sports Network beginning at 5:30 a.m.   

Sunday, Feb. 9

 
Can Bode Miller take gold one more time in his final trip to the Olympic Games? On Sunday, it’s time for the downhill, one of the most anticipated events of the Olympics. The 36-year-old New Hampshire native won bronze in this event at the 2010 Games in Vancouver (NBC, prime-time coverage). Fellow US teammate Ted Ligety comes into the Games on a hot streak, and should be a favorite for the podium.
 
Other notable medal events: Women’s 7.5km Sprint (2 p.m., NBC), men’s single run luge (8:30 a.m., NBC Sports Network), men’s individual normal hill ski jumping (1 p.m., NBCSN), women’s speed skating (3,000 meters 5:30 a.m., NBCSN).

Monday, Feb. 10

 
With Lindsey Vonn skipping the Olympics after knee surgery, it opens the door for the spotlight to land on fellow US skiers Julia Mancuso and 18-year-old Mikaela Shiffrin, who attended Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont. Mancuso will look to one-up her Vancouver silver medal run in the women’s combined downhill (prime-time coverage) on Monday, this time without the shadow of Vonn’s star power.
 
Other notable medal events: Biathlon – Men’s 12.5km pursuit, speedskating – Men’s 500 meter (3 p.m., NBC), men’s moguls (prime-time).

Tuesday, Feb. 11

 
It’s a fairly light schedule, with medal events in biathlon, women’s 10K pursuit, and women’s slopestyle freeskiing (Americans Keri Herman and Devin Logan are ones to watch). Both will be in prime time.
 
Other notable medal events: Luge, women’s singles run, cross country, men’s and women’s sprint free finals (3 p.m., NBC).
Wednesday, Feb. 12

Wednesday, Feb. 12

 
Fresh off their win at the US Championships at TD Garden last month, Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir, from Cranston, R.I. and Sudbury, respectively, are among the top contenders in the medal round of the pairs free skate. Meanwhile, Vermont native Kelly Clark seeks her third medal in the snowboarding halfpipe finals, where she won gold in Salt Lake City in ’02, and bronze in Vancouver in ’10 (prime time).
 
Other notable medal events: Women’s downhill (prime time), luge doubles run (2 p.m., NBCSN).

Thursday, Feb. 13

 
The US men’s hockey teams gets into action on Thursday with a game against Slovakia (7:30 a.m., NBCSN), while Russia takes on Slovenia at the same time (MSNBC).
 
Other notable medal events: Cross country, women’s 10K classic (5:30 a.m., NBCSN), luge, team relay (3 p.m., NBC).

Friday, Feb. 14

 
 
Fresh off his World Cup giant slalom win, Ted Ligety looks to win gold in the men’s super combined slalom, along with teammate Bode Miller, both of whom could figure in the medaling , while Vermont’s Lindsey Jacobellis returns hoping to medal in snowboard cross (prime time). More hockey picks up as well with matchups including Canada-Austria, Czech-Latvia, and Sweden-Switzerland. Also, gold will be awarded in men’s free skate, televised during NBC’s prime time coverage.
 
Other notable medal events: Biathlon – Women’s 15km individual (3 p.m., NBC), Freestyle Skiing – Women’s aerials final (prime time).

Saturday, Feb. 15

 
The second weekend of the Games kicks off with a doozy with Team USA taking on Russia in hockey (7:30 a.m., NBCSN), while the women’s quarterfinals in hockey begin (7:30 a.m., MSNBC). In prime time, soar through the Sochi sky, as the men’s large individual large hill ski jumping medal round takes place.
 
Other notable medal events: Cross-Country – Women’s 4×5 km relay, Short Track – Women’s 1500m final, men’s 1,000 meter final, Skelton – Men’s run 4 (3 p.m., NBC).  

Sunday, Feb. 16

Ted Ligety should be the favorite in the men’s super G, taking place one week after his downhill run (prime time). In hockey, the US men take on Slovenia (7:30 a.m., NBCSN).

Other notable medal events: Cross-Country – Men’s 4×10 km relay (5 a.m., NBCSN), Snowboarding – Women’s cross finals (prime time).

Monday, Feb. 17

Melrose native Steve Langton will be in the spotlight as the push man for Steve Holcomb’s two-man bobsled run. The US is seeking its first gold medal in the event since 1936 (prime time).

Other notable medal events: Freestyle Skiing – Men’s aerials final ski jumping – Men’s team final (3 p.m., NBC), Snowboarding – Men’s cross final (prime time).

Tuesday, Feb. 18

Halfpipe skiing makes its debut in these Sochi Games, and on Feb. 18 the first medals will be awarded. Maine native Simon Dumont, one of the godfathers of the sport, will not be competing ater suffering an injury last month.

Other notable medal events: Short Track – Women’s 3000m relay final, Speedskating – Men’s 10,000m (10 a.m., NBCSN).

Wednesday, Feb. 19

Ligety will be the star of the men’s giant slalom (prime time), and medals will be awarded only in cross-country, biathlon, and speed skating, so perhaps it’s a good day to catch up on the Games’ curling action as the men’s and women’s semifinals take place (5 p.m., CNBC). Playoff action also begins in men’s hockey, with the US most likely to be a factor.

Other notable medal events: Biathlon – Mixed relay cross-country – Women’s team sprint classic final, Men’s team sprint classic final, Speedskating – Women’s 5000m (3 p.m., NBC).

Thursday, Feb. 20

It’s the women’s turn in the skiing halfpipe with US stars Maddie Bowman and Devin Logan leading the way (prime time), and the curling tournaments have their finals during the day. The gold medal in figure skating will also be awarded as the ladies free skate is televised in prime time. The women’s ice hockey gold medal game also takes place at noon (NBC).

Other notable medal events: Nordic combined – Team large hill ski jumping (3 a.m., NBCSN). )

Friday, Feb. 21

Gold medals will be awarded in the women’s biathlon, 4×6 km relay, women’s freestyle skiing (prime time), and curing (men’s final).

Other notable medal events: Short track – Men’s 500m final, Men’s 5000m relay final, Women’s 1000m final (prime time).

Saturday, Feb. 22

Bode Miller will get his final day in the Olympic spotlight when he and Ted Ligety represent the Americans in the skiing slalom run (prime time).

Other notable medal events: Snowboarding – Women’s parallel slalom final, Men’s parallel slalom final, Speed skating – Men’s team pursuit final, Women’s team pursuit final (prime time).

Sunday, Feb. 23

If it’s anything like the thriller we got in Vancouver four years ago, the gold medal game in ice hockey will be one for the ages, particularly if we get another showdown between the US and Canada (4 p.m., NBC). These are Russia’s games though, and the hockey team could be a factor in denying that matchup. In bobsledding, Steve Holcomb looks to repeat as a gold medal champion in the four-man event (prime time).

Other notable events: Closing ceremonies (prime time).