The countdown to the 2026 Milan Cortina Paralympic Games is almost over. The opening ceremony is March 6, leaving less than two weeks for Italian organizers to clean up after the Olympics and get all the event sites ready for another onslaught of athletes and visitors from around the world.

From March 6-15, 665 athletes from around the world – including 70 Americans – will compete in 79 medal events across six sports: Para Alpine Skiing, Para Biathlon, Para Cross-Country Skiing, Para Ice Hockey, Para Snowboard and Wheelchair Curling. Just like with the Olympics, all sports will be live streamed and available on demand on Peacock, NBC’s streaming platform.

Here are five storylines to watch:

1. United States sled hockey goes for a fifth consecutive gold

The United States sled hockey team is the top-ranked team in the world. It is also the four-time defending Paralympic gold medalist going back to the 2010 Vancouver Games.

Among the players to watch are forward Declan Farmer and goalie Jen Lee. Farmer, a three-time gold medalist, was the top scorer at the 2018 and 2022 Paralympics and is the United States all-time leader in career Paralympic goals, assists and points. Lee, also a three-time gold medalist, saw some ice time as the backup goalie in 2014 and 2018. As the starting goalie in 2022, he stopped all 33 shots he faced, including all 16 shots he faced in the United States’ 5-0 win over rival Canada in the gold medal game.

The United States, who is in Group A, will play the other three teams from the group with games against Italy on March 7, Germany on March 9 and China on March 11. The four teams in Group B (Canada, Czechia, Japan and Slovakia) will also all play each other round robin in the group stage with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals.

The semifinals are March 13, and the gold medal game is March 15.

Fun fact: During its current gold medal streak spanning the last four Paralympic games, Team USA has a combined record of 18-2 and has outscored opponents by a combined margin of 102-6.

2. Will we see more dominance from Masters?

Oksana Masters, the most decorated United States winter Paralympian in history, will look to add to her record 14 winter Paralympic medals (five golds, seven silvers, and two bronzes), in addition to her five summer Paralympic medals (four golds and a bronze).

Masters, who competes in the sitting division of Para Biathlon and Para Cross-Country Skiing, made history at the 2022 Beijing Games where she became the first American to win seven medals at a single Paralympic Games.

Team USA has not yet officially announced what specific events Masters, the top-ranked para cross country skier in her division and second ranked para biathlete in her division in the world, will compete in. In the 2022 Beijing games, Masters competed in seven events, three Para Biathlon events (6 km, 10 km, 12.5 km) and four Para Cross-Country Skiing events (1.5 km, 10 km, 15 km, 4 x 2.5 km mixed relay), winning gold in the 10-km and 12.5-km Biathlon events as well as the mixed-relay Para Cross Country event.

The Para Biathlon events will take place on March 7, 8 and 13. The Para Cross Country events will take place on March 10, 11, 14 and 15.

Fun fact: Masters is engaged to fellow Team USA Paralympian Aaron Pike who is also competing in the Milan Cortina Games. The two plan on getting married in Milan after the games are over.

3. Can USA Para Snowboard bounce back?

Team USA dominated Para Snowboarding at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, combining for five gold medals and 13 medals overall (The Netherlands, who finished second in the medal table for the sport, had two gold medals and five medals overall).

But, at the 2022 Beijing Games, Team USA finished third in the Para Snowboard medal table behind China and France) picking up only one gold medal and four medals overall.*

Among the American athletes who will be competing in Para Snowboard are Brenna Huckaby and Noah Elliott. Both are making their third Paralympics appearance, and both compete in Banked Slalom and Snowboard Cross. Huckaby won two gold medals in 2018 and a gold and a bronze medal in 2022. Elliott won a gold medal and a bronze medal in 2018 but did not medal in 2022 while dealing with an injury.

There are Para Snowboarding seeding events on March 7 and medal events on March 8 and 14.

Fun fact: Since Para Snowboard made its Paralympic debut at the 2014 Sochi Games, Team USA has won over a third of all the sport’s gold medals and overall medals.

4. United States seeks first wheelchair curling medal

Wheelchair curling made its Paralympic debut at the 2006 Turin Games and has returned every Paralympics since, but the United States has never won a medal of any color in the sport. Its best finish was fourth place at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

The United States does have twice as many opportunities to get that first medal. In addition to mixed team wheelchair curling (the event that has been part of the Paralympics since 2006), the Milan Cortina Paralympics will feature the Paralympics debut of mixed doubles wheelchair curling.

The eight countries that are competing in mixed doubles will compete against each other round robin-style from March 4-9. The top four teams will compete in the semifinals on March 10, with the gold medal match on March 11.

The ten countries that are competing in Mixed team will compete against each other round robin style from March 7 through March 12. The top four teams will play in the semifinals on March 13, with the gold medal match on March 14.

Fun facts: In contrast to standard curling, there is no sweeping in wheelchair curling. Also, in wheelchair curling, athletes use a stick to push and rotate the stone rather than sliding it by hand like in standard curling.

5. Can the United States return to the top of the medal table?

Team USA finished atop the medal table at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games with the most gold medals (13) and overall medals (36). But, at the 2022 Beijing Games, Team USA finished fifth in the medal table with six gold medals and 20 overall medals.

The United States has the second most all-time Winter Paralympic gold medals (117) behind Norway (140) and the third most all-time Winter Paralympic medals overall (333) behind Austria (345) and Norway (334).