![Alexander Oki ‘28 picks up trash in the lower parking lot Feb. 20. According to Keep America Beautiful, the majority of the trash found on both roads and waterways consists of fast food wrappers and packaging, receipts and plastic beverage bottles. Clubs like the National Honor Society (NHS) offer students the opportunity to earn service hours by cleaning up the trash in the parking lots. “[The trash] makes us look very unhygienic and unmotivated to be a proper school,” Emberlyse Vidal ‘28 said. “It makes us look like we just don't care about our students' environments.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20260220_1355020-2-1200x904.jpg)
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina were a huge success for the U.S.A. Hockey Team. Every game was won, including the final gold medal game. According to Kavitha A. Davidson from YahooSports, “For a few minutes, we could put aside politics, the ugliness of our government’s actions at home and abroad, and simply celebrate the boys in red, white and blue.”
On Thursday, Feb. 12, the U.S.A. Men’s Hockey defeated Latvia 5-1. The U.S. broke a 1-1 tie with an improved second period, with forward Nelson and forward Jack Eichel scoring for the team. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 17 saves, and the defense held Latvia to only 9 shots in the final two periods. The victory marked a strong start for the U.S.A. team, which includes a large National Hockey League (NHL) roster.
On Saturday, Feb. 14, the U.S.A. defeated Denmark 6-3. Forward Matt Boldy, forward Brady Tkachuk, forward Jack Eichel, defenseman Noah Hanifin, forward Jake Guentzel, and forward Jack Hughes scored, with four goals coming in the second and third periods, earning the win. Goalkeeper Jeremy Swayman made 18 saves for the U.S.A. after missing two early goals. The win helped the U.S.A. maintain a strong position in the preliminary rounds.
On Sunday, Feb. 15, the U.S.A. defeated Germany 5-1. There were zero goals in the first 17 minutes of the game. Forward Auston Matthews led the offense with two goals and an assist, while goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves of 24.
On Wednesday, Feb. 18, the U.S.A. defeated Sweden 2-1. Defenseman Quinn Hughes scored the game-winning goal in overtime, forward Dylan Larkin scored in regulation, and goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves. This game caused the U.S.A. to make it into the semifinals and increased the pressure on the team.
On Friday, Feb. 20, the U.S.A. defeated Slovakia 6-2. Forward Jack Hughes scored 2 goals, and forward Dylan Larkin, forward Tage Thompson, forward Jack Eichel, and left-winger Brady Tkachuk also contributed goals. This match secured the U.S.A. spot in the Gold medal Game and left hockey fans excited for the final match.
Finally, in the Gold medal game, the U.S.A. went up against Canada and won 2-1 in overtime. The U.S.A. hasn’t won gold in hockey since 46 years earlier in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. It was a close game with forward Jack Hughes scoring the winning goal in overtime. Even though hockey was founded in the early 1870s in Montreal, Canada, the U.S.A. has beaten the founders of the sport.
