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The U.S. women’s hockey team improved to 2-0 on Saturday at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Games.
U.S. team captain Hilary Knight scored in a second straight game, tying the U.S. Olympic record in the Americans’ 5-0 loss to Finland. Her 14 career goals at the Winter Olympics match the total set by Natalie Darwitz and Katie King.
The Americans depleted an illness-stricken Finnish team, extending Finland’s winless Olympic record against the United States to 0-11. Vice President JD Vance and his family were in attendance and cheered on the tournament favorite Americans.
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U.S. players celebrate after defeating Finland in Group A of women’s ice hockey during the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena on February 7, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)
Team USA defender Megan Keller had a goal and two assists, while Alex Carpenter, Taylor Heise and Abbey Murphy also scored. Aerin Frankel stopped 11 shots to post her first shutout in her second career Olympic game.
The Finns returned to the ice as a full team for the first time since their last meeting in practice on Tuesday. That night, four players developed symptoms of norovirus. Two days later, Finland’s 23-player roster was down to eight forwards and two goaltenders, prompting Olympic officials to postpone the team’s tournament opener against Canada until February 12.
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On Friday, coach Tero Lehtara promised his team would play the Americans even if it meant having at least five attackers and a goalkeeper. After canceling their morning practice on Saturday, the Finns took the ice six hours later with a full contingent of 22 players.
U.S. players celebrate defeating Finland in the women’s ice hockey Group A play during the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena on February 7, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)
Goalie Sanni Ahola stopped 44 shots in total and kept the Finns in the game through a first period in which she stopped 14 of 15 shots. Carpenter was the only one to beat her, scoring on a one-timer from the slot on a power play goal with just under five minutes left in the period.
Vance was seated next to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena.
Vance and his family entered the game during intermission at the end of the first period, with the United States leading 1-0. Paul joined them shortly after. Paul’s fiancée, Jutta Leerdam, is a speed skater and competes for her native Netherlands at the Winter Games.
The second lady of the United States, Usha Vance, wore a sweatshirt with “USA” in large letters.
Among those also seated near Vance were 2010 Olympic figure skating gold medalist Evan Lysacek and hockey’s twin sisters, Hall of Famers Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando. They were members of the gold medal-winning U.S. team at the 2018 Winter Games.
