The United States and Canada will
meet for gold for the 7th time in Olympic women's hockey
[February 17, 2026]
By JOHN WAWROW
MILAN (AP) — Marie-Philip Poulin won’t dispute how good the
Americans have looked in romping through the women’s hockey
tournament at the Milan Cortina Games. And Canada’s captain will
readily acknowledge her team has yet to come close to playing its
best.
What's matters to Poulin, who continues building upon her “Captain
Clutch” reputation in her fifth Olympic Games, is having the
opportunity to play in a one-game showdown with the gold medal on
the line on Thursday.
“Obviously, we know they’re a talented team, a skilled team. They’ve
had a lot of success this year, obviously against us, and we’re all
aware of that,” Poulin said. “For us as a group, it’s going to be
all about us, all about our heart and everything we’re going to put
on that ice.”
The U.S. and Canada will face off for Olympic gold for a seventh
time since women’s hockey debuted at the 1998 Nagano Games in a
rivalry between the sport's two global powers that never gets old.
And this time, the Americans are the favorites.
The U.S. clinched its berth with a 5-0 win over Sweden in semifinal
play on Monday. And the defending champion Canadians followed with
Poulin scoring twice to set the Olympic career goal record in a
too-close-for-comfort 2-1 victory over Switzerland.
For the Americans, it didn’t matter who they faced in a tournament
they’ve dominated by going 6-0 and outscoring their opponents by a
combined margin of 31-1.
“We’ve played them quite a few times, so obviously, won’t be
surprised,” defender Lee Stecklein said. “Whoever we face, we’ve got
to be ready for that challenge.”
Goalie Aerin Frankel stopped 21 shots for her third shutout of the
tournament, and the Americans blew the game open with Abbey Murphy,
Kendall Coyne Schofield and Hayley Scamurra scoring on consecutive
shots over a 2:47 span late in the second period. Cayla Barnes
opened the scoring and Taylor Heise also scored.
The U.S. has yet to trail or be tied after 0-0, and in position to
become the third women’s team to do so over the entire tournament,
joining Canada in 2006 and 2010. The Americans also extended their
shutout streak to 331 minutes, 23 seconds, going back to Czechia’s
Barbora Jurickova beating Frankel on a breakaway in the second
period of a tournament-opening 5-1 win.
“I think we’re looking incredible. The whole tournament we’ve really
been consistent,” Scamurra said. “I don’t even think we’re at the
peak, but I think our peak is getting that gold medal in hand for
sure.”
The Canadians’ performance has been left open to questions and
concerns.
Aside from eking out a win over Switzerland, the defending Olympic
champions dropped a 5-0 decision to the U.S. in the preliminary
round — an outing Poulin missed due to a right knee injury.
The outcome marked the first time Canada has been shut out and its
most lopsided loss in Olympic play. The Americans also hold the edge
by having won seven straight dating to beating Canada twice at the
world championships in April.
“I personally love the underdog mentality,” Canadian defender Renata
Fast said.
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United States goalkeeper Aerin Frankel blocks a shot by Sweden
during the second period of a women's ice hockey semifinal match at
the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026.
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
“There’s been a lot of noise on the outside, but
there’s has been tons of belief in the locker room and we’ve gone
through a ton of adversity this year,” she added. “This is the
moment we have been fighting for is to play for gold. And no better
matchup than to play Team USA. I’m so excited and excited to see the
fight that this group brings.”
Against Switzerland, Poulin opened the scoring 1:49 into the second
period by skipping a shot from between the circles that bounced and
banked in off goalie Andrea Braendli’s stick. She made it 2-0 some 6
1/2 minutes later by converting a rebound.
Poulin now has 20 career goals and broke the record of 18 held by
former teammate and Hockey Hall of Famer Hayley Wickenheiser.
Ann-Renee Desbiens stopped seven shots.
Rahel Enzler scored for Switzerland 4:53 into the third period.
Braendli, coming off a 40-save outing in a 1-0 quarterfinal win over
Finland, finished with 44 saves.
Now it’s on to the gold medal game with U.S. seeking its third title
after winning in 1998 and 2018, and the Canadians their sixth.
“Nothing matters. It’s the gold medal game,” Heise said of a
potential rematch against Canada. “Obviously, I’m going to say we’ve
done great and we’ve had great success. You want to take that
confidence and motivation, but you want to move forward. We’re going
to look for us and we’re going do what we need to do on Thursday and
hopefully come on top.”
And it could very well be the last meeting between the two teams’
long-time stars: Poulin, nicknamed “Captain Clutch,” and U.S.
captain Hilary Knight, who has already announced these will be her
fifth and final Olympics.
Sweden and Switzerland will play for bronze in a rematch of their
meeting at the 2014 Sochi Games. Switzerland won 4-3 to win its
first and only women’s hockey medal.
The Swedes are seeking to win their third Olympic medal, and first
since winning silver at the 2006 Turin Games after upsetting the
U.S. in the semifinals.
Ebba Svensson Traff stopped 19 of 23 shots before she was pulled
after Coyne Schofield tipped in Laila Edwards’ shot from the blue
line with 3:50 left in the second period. Emma Soderberg took over,
allowing a goal on 11 shots.
Though the Swedes kept the game close through 35 minutes, the
Americans eventually wore them down.
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