Turin, Italy ? Evgeni Plushenko was well into his Olympic victory lap, waving his flowers and wrapping himself in the Russian flag, before the silver and bronze medalists even climbed off the podium.

These were Plushenko’s games. Everyone else just filled out the field, mere subjects to figure skating’s new king.

Plushenko, the silver medalist four years ago in Salt Lake City, skated safely but just strong enough to add his name to the Russian/Soviet dynasty that now has won the men’s individual gold medal in five straight Olympics.

“Four years ago, it was not my Olympic games,” he said. “This Olympic games is mine. For sure.”

Plushenko’s score of 167.67 points in the free skate gave him 258.33 overall – an incredible 27.12 points in front of Swiss world champion and silver medalist Stephane Lambiel. Canada’s Jeff Buttle, second to Lambiel at last year’s world championships when Plushenko was injured, won the bronze.

American Johnny Weir let a medal slip away with a cautious, error-filled program, dropping from second to fifth – one spot below teammate Evan Lysacek.

Weir arrived at the arena a half-hour later than expected because the bus he’d planned to take from the athletes’ village never showed up, and he never got back on track.

Hockey

United States 4, Kazakhstan 1

Turin, Italy – The U.S. hockey team found just what it needed to get going in the Olympics. A good night’s rest and a game against Kazakhstan (0-2).

The United States (1-0-1) used three first-period goals to move into second place in Group B with three points, behind Slovakia – the Americans’ next opponent and the only 2-0 team in the six-squad bunch.

Biathlon

Cesana, Italy – Russian biathlete Olga Pyleva was thrown out of the Olympics and stripped of her silver medal for failing a drug test, the first athlete caught for doping at the Turin Games.

Pyleva was scratched just before the start of Thursday’s 7.5km sprint, in which she was considered a medal contender.

A three-member IOC panel found Pyleva guilty of a doping violation. She had tested positive for the banned stimulant carphedon in a urine test following Monday’s race.

Snowboarding

Bardonecchia, Italy – American Seth Wescott used a sweet little slide move to nudge into first place and become the first Olympic champion in the wild sport of snowboardcross.

Men’s speedskating

Turin, Italy – Italy sent the home crowd into a frenzy at the speedskating oval by winning the first gold medal in men’s team pursuit, defeating Canada in the final.

Women’s speedskating

Turin, Italy – The powerful German team, led by Anni Friesinger and Claudia Pechstein, lived up to its role as favorite and beat Canada.

Skeleton

Cesana, Italy – Switzerland’s Maya Pedersen, who parked her sled to become a mother two years ago, is now an Olympic champion after winning her country’s first gold medal of the Turin Games.

Nordic skiing

cross country

Pragelato, Italy – Estonia’s Kristina Smigun took the lead by the 7km mark in the interval-start women’s 10km classical cross-country race, earning her second individual gold in as many events.

Nordic combined

Pragelato, Italy – Mario Stecher erased a 20-second deficit during the final leg of the cross-country relay race to lead Austria to the Olympic gold medal.

Curling

Men

United States 10, Sweden 6

Pinerolo, Italy – The United States rallied to beat first-place Sweden.

Women

Sweden 5, United States 4

Pinerolo, Italy – Cassie Johnson left her last rock short and Sweden held on for a victory in extra ends, sending the U.S. to its fourth loss in five games.