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The United States women’s ice hockey team is a freight train that destroys everything in its path.
The Americans earned their fourth victory in as many games to open the Milan Cortina Games with another resounding victory, this one a 5-0 win over Canada – it was their third straight 5-0 victory.
In this competition, Hilary Knight tied the American record for most career points in American women’s hockey Olympic history with a first-period assist.
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Hilary Knight of Team USA celebrates a goal scored by Caroline Harvey in the first period during the Women’s Preliminary Group A match between the United States and Canada on the fourth day of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milan Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 10, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Grégory Shamus/Getty Images)
The United States scored two goals in each of the first two periods. Two were scored by Hannah Bilka and each was assisted by Abbey Murphy.
This is now the Americans’ seventh straight victory over Canada, one shy of the rivalry’s all-time record. They have outscored their opponents 25-1 so far, with Czechia scoring the only goal in the very first match.
The contest is a preview of the gold medal game, as six of the seven gold medal games in Olympic history have been between Canada and the United States. Canada has won four, most recently in 2022.
Kirsten Simms (9) of Team USA celebrates with her teammates after scoring a goal during the second period during the Women’s Preliminary Group A match between the United States and Canada on the fourth day of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Milan Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 10, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
OLYMPIC MEDALIST VOLUNTARILY ADMITS TO CHEATING ON HIS ‘GOLD MEDAL’ GIRLFRIEND OF 6 MONTHS IN EMOTIONAL INTERVIEW
Canada and the United States have also met in the gold medal game at 23 of the 24 IIHF Women’s World Championships and 21 of the 23 4 Nations Cups since international play began in 1987. Excluding the pandemic, the last time the two countries did not face each other in a gold medal game at an international tournament was in 2019, and before that, in 1993 (there was no IIHF Women’s World Championship that year). Canada settled for bronze at the 2019 World Championship, while the United States beat Finland. This remains the only year Canada did not finish with gold or silver, while the streak of American attempts at gold is still intact.
Canada, however, has only won gold or silver at seven Olympic Games, while the Americans had to settle for bronze in 2006.
Caroline Harvey (4) of Team USA celebrates with her teammates after a goal in the first period during the Women’s Preliminary Group A match between the United States and Canada on the fourth day of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Milan Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 10, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Next comes the knockout stage on Friday, with the semi-finals on Monday and the gold and bronze medal matches on February 19.
