Wednesday’s TV best bets for Sochi Olympics

WOMEN’S DOWNHILL

Can Julia Mancuso win her second medal of the Games? It’s certainly possible. Mancuso surprised everyone with a bronze in the super combined, but now she gets to race her better discipline. This was Lindsey Vonn’s race to lose until she was injured. Now it’s anybody’s race to win.

MEN’S 1,000 SPEEDSKATING

Shani Davis hopes to become the first American to win the same event three straight times. Poised to stop him is Michel Mulder of the Netherlands, who won the 500 earlier this week. Denis Kuzin of Kazakhstan should also figure into the final podium picture.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

You can get a preview of the gold-medal game when U.S. and Canada meet in the preliminary round. Regardless of the outcome it would be difficult to see any scenario in which they don’t meet for the gold. The past games have been chippy, with fights breaking out, and you should expect no less here.

FIGURE SKATING PAIRS

The Russians should return to the top of the podium if they can duplicate the artistry they showed in the short program. Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov will return in the free skate to probably claim a gold. The U.S. team of Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir is in ninth.

john.cherwa@latimes.com