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Three weeks after Mourinho's team stunned his former club ina 4-2 winthat allowed Benfica to qualify and kept the Spanish giant from automatically reaching the round of 16, the two teams will meet again at the Stadium of Light in the first round of the knockout stage.

"I hope history does not repeat itself," Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa said. "We are prepared for the difficulty of the match, the opponent, the atmosphere and what awaits us on Tuesday. It's 180 minutes and we have to play a great game there. We have it very fresh in our minds, so we know how complicated it will be."

Benfica got the goal it needed to qualify thanks to alast-minute headerby goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin against Madrid, allowing it to grab the 24th — and final — spot for the knockout stage on goal difference.

The rematch highlights a knockout round that will also include defending champion Paris Saint-Germain against Monaco and Inter Milan, last year's runner-up, facing Norwegian outsider Bodø/Glimt.

Mbappé returns

Mbappé, who already has 38 goals for Madrid this season, will be available again after he missed the Spanish league matchagainst Real Sociedadat the weekend because of discomfort on his knee.

He has scored nine goals in his last six matches with Madrid, including both goals in the loss to Benfica.

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"He is doing very well," Arbeloa said. "Obviously, he has been dealing with these minor knee issues for quite some time this season. He is making a great effort every time he steps onto the field, and we have decided not to take risks so that he will be ready to start the match on Tuesday."

Lackluster PSG

PSG dropped out of the top eight that automatically qualified for the last-16 after a 1-1 home draw against Newcastle in the last round of the league phase, dropping it to 11th place.

On Friday, it lost 3-1 at Rennes in the French league for its third defeat of the year — and sixth this season.

Monaco, which finished 21st in the league phase, beat Nantes 3-1 on Friday, but before that it had won only once in its last seven matches across all tournaments.

Inter boosted

Inter heads to its match at Bodø/Glimt on Wednesday after six straight victories, including Saturday's last-minute 3-2 triumph over Juventus, a result that increased its Serie A lead.

Inter won its first four games in the league phase this season, but then lost three in a row before finishing off with an away victory at Borussia Dortmund that secured it 10th place.

Bodø/Glimt, in its first Champions League campaign, neededback-to-back upset winsagainst Manchester City and Atletico Madrid to make it to the knockout round in 23rd place.

Other matchups

The other first legs on Tuesday include Juventus visiting Galatasaray and Dortmund hosting Atalanta.On Wednesday, Newcastle is at Qarabag, Olympiakos hosts Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico visits Club Brugge.___AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The other first legs on Tuesday include Juventus visiting Galatasaray and Dortmund hosting Atalanta.

On Wednesday, Newcastle is at Qarabag, Olympiakos hosts Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico visits Club Brugge.

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

AP Winter Olympics:https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

There's Amber Glenn, a 26-year-old powerhouse andLGBTQ+ rights activistwhose career took off just when most figure skaters are contemplating retirement. The three-time and reigning U.S. champion's unvarnished opinion on everything from politics to the trading card game "Magic: The Gathering" have made hera polarizing figureat the Milan Cortina Games.

Then there's Alysa Liu, the one-time phenom who retired at 16 onlyto launch a comebackthat resulted in thefirst world title for an Americanwoman in nearly two decades. Liu's blond-and-brunette striped hair, prominent frenulum piercing and nonconformist aura have made the 20-year-old a hero of the alt, punk and emo crowd.

And there's Isabeau Levito, perhaps the closest thingto the innocent imageof teen predecessors like Tara Lipinski and Sarah Hughes, right up until you get the 18-year-old away from the cameras, and her searing wit and biting sarcasm shine through.

They've dubbed themselves the "Blade Angels," an homage to "Charlie's Angels," after rejecting such suggestions as "Powerpuff Girls" and "Babes of Glory," which they worried might lead to some trademark issues. (As ifthey needed more of thosein Milan.)

They are a new kind of role model for a new generation of American girls.

They also are the last chance to salvagea disappointing Olympicsfor American figure skaters.

"I really like that we're all different," Levito said, "and we all have our own strengths and personalities, and our own ways we want to look and appear. I think it's really great, because while we all have the same passion for the sport, and we have very aligned goals."

'I thought I would be done at 18'

Glenn grew up in Plano, Texas. Her father, Richard, is a police sergeant and her mom, Cathlene, a fitness instructor. She's represented the U.S. internationallyfor nearly 15 years, which happens to be how old Lipinski was when she won Olympic gold.It's hard to get more unabashedly American. Yet some critics nevertheless questioned her allegiances on the eve of the Milan Cortina Games, when Glenn answered a question about the political climate for the LGBTQ+ community under President Donald Trump."I hope I can use my platform and voice throughout these Games to help people stay strong during these hard times," she said. "A lot of people will say, 'You're just an athlete. Stick to your job. Shut up about politics.' But politics affect us all."Glenn probably wouldn't have taken such a bold stance a decade ago, when she nearly quit the sport.But over the course of her career, she'stackled head-on an eating disorder,which is all-too common in the sport. She spent time in a mental health facility to get a handle on her depression. She learned to cope with ADHD. And she came to understand her sexuality; Glenn identifies as pansexual, meaning she is attracted to people regardless of sex or gender."I've been through a lot," Glenn told The Associated Press. "It's taken many, many years to get to this point."Now, she has an Olympic gold medal from her Winter Games debut after helpingthe U.S. defend its titlein the team event."I stepped away from the sport. I've come back. At one point, I hated it. Whenever people would ask me, 'Oh, should my kids get into it?' I would be like, 'No, never,'" Glenn said. "But I've seen the people around me grow, and how the environment of figure skating has changed, and how we're trying to change it. And in doing so, we've created an environment I like to be in every day."'I hated skating when I quit'Liu is the only member of the U.S. women's team with any previous Olympics experience. But much like Glenn, she had come to loathe the sport by the time she finished sixth at the Beijing Games, so much sothat she quit entirely. She was 16 at the time."I really hated skating when I quit. Like, I really didn't like it," Liu told the AP. "I didn't care about competitions. I didn't care about places. I didn't care about skaters. I didn't care about my programs. I just wanted to, like, get away. I want nothing to do with that. I hated fame. I hated social media. I didn't like interviews. Like, I hated all of it."It took walking away for Liu to finally find herself.The same kid who'd get dropped off at the rink by her father in the morning and picked up at night, and who thirsted for friends her age while living and training alone in Colorado, began to explore: Liu climbed to the base camp of Mt. Everest, ticked off items on her ever-growing bucket list, and enrolled at UCLA to study, perhaps fittingly, psychology."I learned so much. Met so many new people," Liu said. "I had to exercise my free will and push myself in different ways."She begancontemplating a comebacktwo years ago, after she went skiing and experienced an adrenaline rush unlike anything she'd felt since hanging up the skates. Liu didn't know where it would lead — certainly not the first world title for an American since Kimmie Meissner in 2006, and definitely not another Winter Games — but she knew that she loved the feeling of skating again.Everything in Liu's life has meaning now, including the striking horizontal stripes in her hair. They're meant to represent the growth rings of a tree. There are three of them at present, and like a tree, Liu plans to add another ring each year."I used to feel like a puppet or a canvas that other people were using," she said. "Now I do things for myself."'They have no idea what you're actually like'Levito has always admired Russian skater Evgenia Medvedeva, perhaps themost dominant women's skaterof the mid-2000s, who was heavily favored to win gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games but wound up with the silver medal instead."She was just so pretty. I just wanted to have that angelic energy that I feel like she has," Levito told the AP. "Amber and Alysa have their distinct style, and she was more like me. My style is, I don't know, put together. I don't know how to word it."The ice princess image," Levito said, after a long pause, "which is silly to say."Mostly because it is just that — an image.Yes, there is a sense of purity surrounding Levito, whose mother, Chiara, immigrated to the U.S. from Milan three decades ago, and whose grandmother still lives inthe host city of the Winter Games. But pull her away from the TV cameras, photographers and the prying eyes of the world, and her sarcastic-bordering-on-vulgar sense of humor bubbles to the surface.At last month's U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Levito was asked her favorite quality in Liu, who was sitting beside her. "I want to say something but I won't," Levito said, before succumbing to a little prodding: "She keeps the hoes on their toes," she said."I think it's so funny," Levito said later, reflecting on that day. "The internet is like, 'Our Isabeau is not a baby anymore,' when they have no idea what you're actually like. I just don't want to say the wrong things in front of the media."So, Levito plays it safe. She wears a sort of mask for the public, projecting the image she thinks people want to see.Much like Glenn and Liu have people who can relate to them, there are a whole lot of people who can relate to that.___AP Winter Olympics:https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Glenn grew up in Plano, Texas. Her father, Richard, is a police sergeant and her mom, Cathlene, a fitness instructor. She's represented the U.S. internationallyfor nearly 15 years, which happens to be how old Lipinski was when she won Olympic gold.

It's hard to get more unabashedly American. Yet some critics nevertheless questioned her allegiances on the eve of the Milan Cortina Games, when Glenn answered a question about the political climate for the LGBTQ+ community under President Donald Trump.

"I hope I can use my platform and voice throughout these Games to help people stay strong during these hard times," she said. "A lot of people will say, 'You're just an athlete. Stick to your job. Shut up about politics.' But politics affect us all."

Glenn probably wouldn't have taken such a bold stance a decade ago, when she nearly quit the sport.

But over the course of her career, she'stackled head-on an eating disorder,which is all-too common in the sport. She spent time in a mental health facility to get a handle on her depression. She learned to cope with ADHD. And she came to understand her sexuality; Glenn identifies as pansexual, meaning she is attracted to people regardless of sex or gender.

"I've been through a lot," Glenn told The Associated Press. "It's taken many, many years to get to this point."

Now, she has an Olympic gold medal from her Winter Games debut after helpingthe U.S. defend its titlein the team event.

"I stepped away from the sport. I've come back. At one point, I hated it. Whenever people would ask me, 'Oh, should my kids get into it?' I would be like, 'No, never,'" Glenn said. "But I've seen the people around me grow, and how the environment of figure skating has changed, and how we're trying to change it. And in doing so, we've created an environment I like to be in every day."

'I hated skating when I quit'

Liu is the only member of the U.S. women's team with any previous Olympics experience. But much like Glenn, she had come to loathe the sport by the time she finished sixth at the Beijing Games, so much sothat she quit entirely. She was 16 at the time.

"I really hated skating when I quit. Like, I really didn't like it," Liu told the AP. "I didn't care about competitions. I didn't care about places. I didn't care about skaters. I didn't care about my programs. I just wanted to, like, get away. I want nothing to do with that. I hated fame. I hated social media. I didn't like interviews. Like, I hated all of it."

It took walking away for Liu to finally find herself.

The same kid who'd get dropped off at the rink by her father in the morning and picked up at night, and who thirsted for friends her age while living and training alone in Colorado, began to explore: Liu climbed to the base camp of Mt. Everest, ticked off items on her ever-growing bucket list, and enrolled at UCLA to study, perhaps fittingly, psychology.

"I learned so much. Met so many new people," Liu said. "I had to exercise my free will and push myself in different ways."

She begancontemplating a comebacktwo years ago, after she went skiing and experienced an adrenaline rush unlike anything she'd felt since hanging up the skates. Liu didn't know where it would lead — certainly not the first world title for an American since Kimmie Meissner in 2006, and definitely not another Winter Games — but she knew that she loved the feeling of skating again.

Everything in Liu's life has meaning now, including the striking horizontal stripes in her hair. They're meant to represent the growth rings of a tree. There are three of them at present, and like a tree, Liu plans to add another ring each year.

"I used to feel like a puppet or a canvas that other people were using," she said. "Now I do things for myself."

'They have no idea what you're actually like'

Levito has always admired Russian skater Evgenia Medvedeva, perhaps themost dominant women's skaterof the mid-2000s, who was heavily favored to win gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games but wound up with the silver medal instead.

"She was just so pretty. I just wanted to have that angelic energy that I feel like she has," Levito told the AP. "Amber and Alysa have their distinct style, and she was more like me. My style is, I don't know, put together. I don't know how to word it.

"The ice princess image," Levito said, after a long pause, "which is silly to say."

Mostly because it is just that — an image.

Yes, there is a sense of purity surrounding Levito, whose mother, Chiara, immigrated to the U.S. from Milan three decades ago, and whose grandmother still lives inthe host city of the Winter Games. But pull her away from the TV cameras, photographers and the prying eyes of the world, and her sarcastic-bordering-on-vulgar sense of humor bubbles to the surface.

At last month's U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Levito was asked her favorite quality in Liu, who was sitting beside her. "I want to say something but I won't," Levito said, before succumbing to a little prodding: "She keeps the hoes on their toes," she said.

"I think it's so funny," Levito said later, reflecting on that day. "The internet is like, 'Our Isabeau is not a baby anymore,' when they have no idea what you're actually like. I just don't want to say the wrong things in front of the media."

So, Levito plays it safe. She wears a sort of mask for the public, projecting the image she thinks people want to see.

Much like Glenn and Liu have people who can relate to them, there are a whole lot of people who can relate to that.

AP Winter Olympics:https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Relatives of the 34 individuals, from 11 families, traveled from Australia to accompany them, said Hakmiyeh Ibrahim, the director of the Roj camp. They will make their way to the Syrian capital, Damascus, and then fly to Australia.

Roj camp houses about 2,200 people from around 50 nationalities, mostly women and children, who have supposed links to the extremist group. Most in the camp are not technically prisoners and have not been accused of a crime, but they have, in effect, been detained in the heavily guarded camp, controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

The most well-known resident of the Roj camp,Shamima Begum, was 15 when she and two other girls fled from London in 2015 to marry IS fighters in Syria. Begum married a Dutch man fighting for IS and had three children, who all died. She recently lost an appeal against the British government's decision to revoke her U.K. citizenship.

Monday's operation is the first this year. Ibrahim, the camp director, said 16 families were repatriated last year, including German, British and French nationals. In 2022, three Australian families were repatriated.

The fate of the Roj camp and the similar but larger al-Hol camp has been a matter of debate for years. Human rights groups have citedpoor living conditionsandpervasive violencein the camps, but many countries have been reluctant to take back their citizens who are detained there.

Government forces took control of al-Hol camp last month amid fighting with the SDF that led to state forces seizing most of the territory in northeast Syria previously controlled by the Kurdish forces.

The U.N. refugee agency said Sunday that a large number of residents ofal-Hol camphave left and that theSyriangovernment plans to relocate those who remain.

Separately, thousands ofaccused IS militantswho were held in detention centers in northeastern Syria have been transferred to Iraq by the U.S. military to stand trial there.

While Mardi Gras was initially a religious holiday observed prior to theChristian Lenten season, it has since expanded from a single day of observation to weeks (or months) of partying and festivities.

The season is typically celebrated with jubilant music, street celebrations and parades, often occurring on the days leading up to Fat Tuesday. Carnival begins on Jan. 6 with Three Kings Day, also known as Epiphany, a pre-Lent festival honoring the beginning of the new year and the rebirth of nature, according toBritannica.

The festivals and celebrations in the weeks leading up to the Lenten season are celebrated across the world, from France to Brazil and beyond.

In the U.S., Mardi Gras is most famously celebrated in New Orleans, Louisiana, with the city decking up, hosting spectacular parades and celebrations, and eating an endless amount ofking cake.It is also celebrated in other cities throughout Louisiana, as well as St. Louis, Missouri, Galveston, Texas, andMobile, Alabama, where the tradition is actually said to have started first in 1703.

Whether you're a local, a traveler planning a trip to New Orleans, or want to watch the festivities from afar, here's what to know about Mardi Gras parades in the Big Easy this year.

People take part in the annual Cape Town Minstrel Carnival parade, in Cape Town, South Africa, January 5, 2026. Global celebrations for Carnival, a period of feasting, parades and costumes, began with the Feast of the Epiphany and will culminate on Mardi Gras.

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See 2026 Carnival celebrations around the world

People take part in the annual Cape Town Minstrel Carnival parade, in Cape Town, South Africa, January 5, 2026. Global celebrations for Carnival,a period of feasting, parades and costumes, began with the Feast of the Epiphany and will culminate on Mardi Gras.

When is Mardi Gras 2026?

Mardi Gras day, which translates from French to English as "Fat Tuesday," will be celebrated on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

The Mardi Gras season, also referred to as Carnival, began 12 days after Christmas on Jan. 6 and will last until Fat Tuesday.

More news:February 2026 calendar: Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras, more

Origins of Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday that traces its roots back to pagan spring and fertility rites, according toHistory.com.

Christy Garrison-Harrison, an assistant professor of history and women, gender, and sexuality studies at Southern University and A&M College,previously told USA TODAYthat Mardi Gras began in medieval Europe, starting in Rome and making its way to France. The tradition then made its way through the colonies, and around 1699, French Canadians arrived in what is now Mobile, Alabama.

Back then, people celebrated "Boeuf Gras," meaning "fatted calf," which was a time for people to enjoy things such as fatty foods, sugar, alcohol and other items considered "decadent," Garrison-Harrison explained. They'd give themselves until the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, or what is often called Fat Tuesday, to indulge, after which Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and penance before Easter Sunday, would commence.

The Mardi Gras Carnival season is predominantly celebrated in countries with large Roman Catholic populations, and today, some of the biggest celebrations in the world take place in Brazil; Venice, Italy; and New Orleans.

When are the 2026 Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans?

Louisiana was first colonized by the French before becoming part of the U.S. and has since retained strong French and Cajun culture and traditions, including Mardi Gras.

While New Orleans has been hosting Mardi Gras parades since the start of January, the following parades are scheduled for the final days of fun: Monday, Feb. 16, and Tuesday, Feb. 17.

Here's when and where to catch these parades, according toMardi Gras New Orleans. For specific parade routes, visitNewOrleans.com.(Note: Parade times and routes are subject to change.)

Monday, Feb. 16

• Krewe of Proteus: 5:15 p.m., Uptown New Orleans

• Krewe of Orpheus: 6 p.m., Uptown New Orleans

• Krewe of Centurions: 6 p.m., Metairie (Followed by Krewe of Atlas)

Tuesday, Feb. 17

• Krewe of Zulu: 8 a.m., Uptown New Orleans

• Covington Lions Club: 10 a.m., Covington (followed by Krewe of Bogue Fayala)

• Krewe of Rex: 10:30 a.m., Uptown New Orleans (followed by Krewe of Elks Orleans and Krewe of Crescent City)

• Mardi Gras Indians: TBD, Uptown New Orleans

• Krewe of Argus: 11 a.m., Metairie (followed by Krewe of Elks Jeffersonians)

• Krewe of Folsom: 2 p.m., Folsom

Contributing: Saleen Martin / USA TODAY

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X@GabeHauarior email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:See Mardi Gras 2026 New Orleans parade schedule for Feb. 16, Feb. 17

Some historians point to the latter three as the country's real first presidents, despite what most people think.

Confused? Let's rewind back to the Revolutionary era.

The President's House in Philadelphia exhibits the paradox of liberty and slavery

The nation's War for Independence against Great Britain ended in 1781, after the king's army surrendered at the Battle of Yorktown. George Washington wasn't elected president until 1789, after the Constitution was officially ratified.

During those eight intervening years, a series of other leaders took the helm of the country.

They were known as the "presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled" and were elected by the Continental Congress under the United States' first governing document, the Articles of Confederation.

More:A yearlong birthday party. Inside America's 250th anniversary plans

Marylander John Hanson was the first person elected to lead the body after all 13 colonies signed the Articles of Confederation in 1781.

So why is Washington, rather than Hanson, regarded as the first president? Here's a deeper look at the history.

The 'forgotten first president'

As theRevolutionary War raged, members of the Continental Congress developed the Articles of Confederation as the foundation for a weak central government. They were fearful that concentrating too much power at the federal level would lead to a tyrannical government akin to Great Britain.

The framework did not include an executive branch or a judicial branch and vested all power in the Continental Congress, which came to be known as the Confederation Congress.

Hanson helped charter the Bank of North America, considered the nation's first central bank, and played a key role in developing diplomatic relationships. He also proclaimed Thursday, Nov. 28, 1782, asa day of Thanksgiving, laying the roots of the American holiday.

But Hanson otherwise had little power as the first president of the United States in Congress Assembled and was essentially a figurehead.

Jody Brumage, an archivist at Heritage Frederick, a historical association in Frederick, Maryland, where Hanson lived, hypothesized that the Articles of Confederation leaders are often overlooked in American history because the government they ruled over was "viewed as a failure."

The founders ultimately created the Constitution after finding that a more robust federal government was necessary to unify the colonies and instill order.

"It's a very clear example of being observant and understanding when a system needed to evolve to serve a changing need," Brumage said.

A full list of the Articles of Confederation presidents

• 1781-1782: John Hanson

• 1782-1783: Elias Boudinot

• 1783-1784: Thomas Mifflin

• 1784-1785: Richard Henry Lee

• 1785-1786: John Hancock

• 1786-1887: Nathaniel Gorham

• 1787-1788: Arthur St. Clair

• 1788-1789: Cyrus Griffin

Why wasn't Washington chosen to lead under the Articles of Confederation?

The Articles of Confederation were ratified while Washington was still commander of the Continental Army. Washington didn't resign his commission until December 1783, after Hanson's one-year term ended, and was not in leadership conversations at the time.

Washington, however, wasunanimously chosenas the first president under the Constitution in 1789 by presidential electors from each state, who comprised the Electoral College.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:The forgotten presidents: Who led the US before George Washington?

USA women's hockeyhas won gold or silver at every world championships since they began in 1990. They've won gold or silver at all but oneOlympicssince women's hockey made its debut in 1998.

The list of players who've worn the U.S. jersey is a who's who of the game: Cammi Granatto, Angela Ruggiero, Jenny Potter, Julie Chu, Karyn Bye-Dietz, Natalie Darwitz, Hilary Knight, Kendall Coyne Schofield — you get the idea.

While nothing is said outright, every young player knows that history. And has no interest in being part of the team that screws it up.

"There is definitely some pressure, of course, because we care and we want to keep that standard alive and be playing great USA hockey," said Caroline Harvey, who despite still being a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is playing in her second Olympics.

Ann-Renee Desbiens (35) of Canada gives up a goal to Caroline Harvey (not pictured) of the United States in women's ice hockey group a play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

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Rival powers battle as USA faces Canada at Winter Games

Ann-Renee Desbiens (35) of Canada gives up a goal to Caroline Harvey (not pictured) of the United States in women's ice hockey group a play during theMilano Cortina 2026Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

"But it's more enjoyable than anything because it's just so exciting," Harvey said. "You're playing with the best of the best. Definitely nerves at times, but good nerves, and trying to channel that into good things."

With Hilary Knight already saying these Olympics, her fifth, are her last and Coyne Schofield and four other players 30 or older, Milano Cortina is something of a changing of the guard for the U.S. women.

Of the 23-person team, 12 are newcomers and four made their Olympic debut in Beijing. Seven are still in college and nine are 23 or younger. Of the 10 Americans who are on the list of scoring leaders through the first five games at the Olympics, seven are under 25.

That includes Harvey, who leads all scorers with nine points.

"It's fun to see a younger version of yourself in them and kind of remind you where you were when you were their age," Coyne Schofield said. "But also just taking a step back and realizing how incredible they are. They're leaders in their own way. They (are) young in age only. They've won. They've scored big goals. They've carried a team on their back. They've won national championships. They've done it all.

"Whether it's the Olympic games or not, they've pretty much done it all."

The arrival of the next generation doesn't mean there won't still be room for the veterans in the next Olympic cycle. But there is a danger in sticking with what's worked and expecting that will continue for another four years. (Cough, Canada, cough.)

By integrating the young Americans into the U.S. team while players like Knight, Coyne Schofield and Alex Carpenter are still around and in their prime, it assures the team of sustained success.

"When I first was a part of the national team, I was like, 'Well, this is cool. This is an honor (to be) amongst the best.' But there's a lot more to it than that. It's how you represent yourself and you represent your country, on and off the ice, and how you carry yourself. What you're doing to better yourself and your teammates," said Laila Edwards, who is an Olympic rookie but is already poised to be one of the next generation's big stars.

"I just made sure to take in something every day, whether that was from my teammates, the captains, the coaches," Edwards added. "I think that's what the U.S. is about. We're never content with where we're at. We're always wanting to get better."

The approach is working.

The Americans beat archrival Canada in overtime last April to win the title at the world championships. Since then, the U.S. has outscored Canada by a whopping 29-7, including a 5-0 thrashing in the preliminary round in Milano Cortina.

The Americans are undefeated going into the semifinals, and their plus-25 goal differential is the best of the four teams left.

"It's incredible where they're going to take the sport," Knight said. "They're already so good … and this is just scratching the surface of what their capabilities are."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:USA women's hockey team in good hands with next generation