Shiffrin OK with 5th place despite missing a worlds slalom medal for the first time

SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria (AP) — All that talk about a record-breaking 16th medal. And extending her perfect run of six medals in six career slalom races at the world championships.

Mikaela Shiffrin’s array of international fans who gathered in the Austrian Alps may have entertained the thought of witnessing those achievements when the American stood third after the opening run Saturday, waving American flags and holding up signs dedicated to the most successful skier of all time.

Shiffrin herself, though, never quite expected much of anything beyond where she ultimately finished, fifth, in only her second full slalom race since she suffered severe trauma to her oblique muscles and a deep puncture wound that left her insides draining out of the side of her abdomen during a crash in a giant slalom in Killington, Vermont, 10 weeks ago.

“Today was just right in line with my expectations,” Shiffrin said. “It’s a strange place to be returning from surgery eight weeks ago, from laying in bed with a drainage tube six weeks ago, to return mid-season in the middle of world championships where everybody is talking about the medals and all the other athletes are fighting and on their top form. And I’m trying to figure out where I even stand in the sport."

While Shiffrin did pair with Breezy Johnson to win a gold in the new team combined event at these worlds, she also withdrew from defending her giant slalom title because of “PTSD-eque” fears related to her fall in Killington.

She said it’s all been “maybe one of the biggest learning experiences of my career.”

The combined gold was Shiffrin’s 15th career medal at worlds, matching the record set by German skier Christl Cranz in the 1930s. Now she’ll have to wait until the next worlds in Crans Montana, Switzerland, in two years to try and stand alone as the most decorated skier in the competition’s history.

Shiffrin had medaled in all six of her previous slalom races at the worlds, starting as a 17-year-old in 2013 when she won the first of four consecutive golds. Then she took bronze in 2021 and silver in 2023.

Now that the slalom streak is over, Shiffrin can look back and admire how special it was — rising Croatian talent Zrinka Ljutic called it “alien” — with the realization that it didn’t end because she’s no longer capable of dominating in slalom; it ended only because she’s been slowed by the two most serious crashes of her career the last two seasons.

“Yeah, I mean, anything can go wrong. And sometimes it feels like everything does go wrong. But looking back at the course of my career, just to this point — and there’s plenty more to come — it’s incredible to think about everything that my team has done … and that we’ve done together to have such consistency,” Shiffrin said.

Besides her crash in Killington, Shiffrin also hit the safety nets at high speed during a downhill last season in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on the course that will host next year’s Milan-Cortina Olympics.

“The last two years have been the biggest proof to the world about how much can go wrong — even when you think you’re doing everything right,” Shiffrin said. “It makes it a little bit scary to move forward because everything feels so unknown. But I guess that’s the mentality we take. And I’m going to try to become comfortable with that unknown feeling.”

Shiffrin still finished only five hundredths of a second off the podium — or from earning a medal. Paula Moltzan, her American teammate, came even closer, finishing fourth two hundredths off the podium in a race won by Swiss skier Camille Rast.

Moltzan won a bronze in giant slalom and also finished fourth with the U.S. squad in the mixed team parallel event and combined with partner Lauren Macuga.

“My worst is fourth, so it’s OK,” Moltzan said. “I’m proud of myself. World champs is a big stage. I competed in the first event and the last event almost. And it’s been a long two weeks, but I’m happy with it.”

The 30-year-old Moltzan is less than a year older than Shiffrin, so has witnessed first-hand almost the entirety of her more accomplished teammate’s career.

“When you’ve been out for two months, it’s hard to have confidence," Moltzan said. "(Rast) has got momentum and Mikaela is just kind of starting back up. I think by the end of the season you’ll maybe see her top speed again.”

With the World Cup circuit — skiing’s regular season — starting back up again next weekend, Shiffrin plans to race in the two giant slaloms and a slalom in Sestriere, Italy. Her next win will be a record-extending No. 100.

“I kind of need to start racing GS in order to keep my start list (number) somewhat reasonable,” Shiffrin said. “But I think I can get to the point that my skiing is good enough that I can race without it being dangerous.”

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

United States' Paula Moltzan celebrates at the finish area of a women's slalom, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Paula Moltzan competes in a women's slalom, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Paula Moltzan celebrates at the finish area of a women's slalom, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Mikaela Shiffrin warms up ahead of a women's slalom, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Fans from the Czech Republic wave a flag in support of United States' Mikaela Shiffrin at the finish area of a women's slalom, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Mikaela Shiffrin checks her time at the finish area of a women's slalom, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Mikaela Shiffrin competes in a women's slalom, at the Alpine Ski World Championships, in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

CHICAGO (AP) — Blackhawks captain and center Nick Foligno returned to Chicago's lineup on Sunday, scoring his first goal of the season and taking three shots against Pittsburgh.

It wasn't nearly enough to help the struggling Blackhawks, who lost 7-3 after the Penguins scored on four of their first seven shots against Spencer Knight.

The 38-year-old Foligno seemed like his old self after missing 19 games with a left hand injury. But last-place Chicago came out flat a night after snapping a six-game losing streak in Dallas with a shootout win and lost for the ninth time in its last 11 (2-9-0).

Foligno has one goal and six assists in 16 games this season, his 19th in the NHL. He entered leading the Blackhawks with a 51.8 faceoff win percentage.

“I thought Fliggy played pretty good to be honest with you for a guy who missed significant time,” Chicago coach Jeff Blashill said. “He's just a really smart, strong player. He just knows how to play hockey. That's why he's played for such a long period of time.”

Foligno got Chicago on the board at 10:50 of the second period, cutting the Penguins lead to 4-1. Foligno was at the edge of crease when Colton Dach's shot struck him in the stomach. The puck dropped and Foligno flicked it between his legs with a backhander and past goalie Arturs Silovs.

It didn't swing the momentum, however. Justin Brazeau scored his second and third goals of the game for his first NHL hat trick minutes later to put the contest out of reach.

“I feel good,” Foligno said. "You just try to come back and make an impact. It stinks to be in a game like that tonight to be honest with you. You get amped to get back and then it kind of goes south really quick.

“I could care less about that (the goal)," he added.

With Foligno's return, the Blackhawks placed center Frank Nazar on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 20.

Foligno was hurt when he was struck by a shot in a 3-2 home win over Toronto on Nov. 15. Nazar was hit in the face with a shot by Senators defenseman Jordan Spence in a 6-4 loss at Ottawa on Dec. 20 and is expected to miss another three weeks.

Nazar, 21, is in his second full NHL season and has been emerging as one of Chicago's young stars. The Detroit native, drafted 13th overall in 2022, has six goals and 15 assists in 33 games to rank fourth on the Blackhawks with 21 points.

Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev missed a second game Sunday, following the birth of his daughter. Chicago leading scorer Connor Bedard remains sidelined until at least early January with an upper-body injury.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Chicago Blackhawks left wing Nick Foligno, right, celebrates with center Sam Lafferty after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Blackhawks left wing Nick Foligno, left, scores against Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Blackhawks left wing Nick Foligno, left, scores against Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar (91) gets knocked down by Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly (44) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

FILE - Chicago Blackhawks left wing Nick Foligno (17) head butts a puck into the net during warmups before an NHL hockey game against the Seattle KrakenMonday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond, File)