MILAN — The U.S. women’s hockey team is gearing up to take on their rival in what promises to be a challenging match during the 2026 Olympic Games this coming Tuesday evening.
The game against Canada was quite similar to the previous three they played.
Team USA finished the qualifying round with a commanding 5-0 victory over Canada at Santa Giulia Arena. They’ve remained unbeaten since arriving in Milan and secured the top spot in Group A, finishing with a perfect record of 4-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L).
Throughout the tournament, Canada, Switzerland, Finland, and the Czech Republic have managed to score just one goal against the United States, which has now recorded three consecutive shutouts.
In total, the Americans have netted an impressive 20 goals since the tournament started and haven’t allowed a single goal since their opening match against the Czech Republic.
One crucial piece was missing from Canada’s lineup. Captain Marie-Philippe Poulain, who was sidelined just hours before the game due to a lower-body injury sustained in a prior match against the Czech Republic, was not available to play. Hockey Canada has indicated that she is currently classified as day-to-day.
It’s clear that her absence has impacted Team Canada, but the U.S. has shown dominance against every opponent they faced.
Hannah Birka made headlines by scoring her second and third goals in the Olympics, while Abby Murphy, a grad student from the University of Minnesota, contributed with three assists.
Hilary Knight made her mark as well, recording her second assist on Carolyn Harvey’s goal and matching Jenny Potter’s record for most career points in U.S. Olympic women’s hockey history.
“United States of America!” resonated in Santa Giulia after Murphy executed a slick reverse pass to Birka, putting Team USA up 2-0.
Canada tried everything they could to contest America’s third goal. After an extensive review regarding a power play sequence with Kirsten Sims, the goal was upheld, though Canada’s coach Troy Ryan argued about potential goaltender interference.
Given that the play had already been assessed, his appeal seemed a bit of a long shot. Ultimately, it backfired and led to a power play for Team USA.
In the third period, Laila Edwards extended the lead to 5-0, while Canadian goalie Anne-Reny Desbiens put up a valiant effort in the face of Emerance Maschmeyer’s advance.
The U.S. finished the qualifying rounds on top. Canada has one more game scheduled against Finland before the elimination rounds commence.
There’s a possibility they might cross paths again for a medal—the excitement is definitely building.
