The United States women’s national ice hockey team is on track for Olympic gold at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, punching its ticket to the semifinals after shutting down the home team Italy 6-0 in its fourth consecutive shutout of the tournament.
In five games, Team USA has outscored its opponents 26-1, with 15 Americans recording at least one point. Led by five-time Olympian Captain Hilary Knight, the Americans opened the games with a commanding 5-1 win over Czechia at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena, with forwards Joy Dunne and Alex Carpenter scoring their first career Olympic goals.
The Americans followed with a 5-0 shutout of Finland, then another 5-0 victory over Switzerland, showcasing their defensive depth highlighted by first-line defender Laila Edwards, the first Black woman to represent Team USA in women’s Olympic hockey.
On Feb. 13, the U.S. handed reigning Olympic gold medalist Canada their first preliminary- round loss of the 2026 Olympic Games and recorded the first-ever shutout against them in Olympic history during a highly anticipated rivalry clash. Defenseman Caroline Harvey opened the scoring at 3:45 of the first period, with Knight earning an assist, tying her for the in U.S. Olympic women’s hockey history with former Olympian Jenny Potter.
Team USA doubled its lead with 2:42 remaining in the first period as Hannah Bilka converted from the slot after a setup from Abbey Murphy. In the second period, Kirsten Simms scored her first career Olympic goal at 1:21 on a power play, battling in the Canadian crease. Bilka added her second goal at 13:00, extending the U.S. lead to 4-0. Edwards capped the scoring in the third period at 11:53, sealing a 5-0 victory and delivering a devastating loss for the Canadians.
Contributions across the roster have fueled the Americans’ success. Knight continues to lead by example while guiding younger stars like Harvey, Bilka, Simms and Edwards.
Bilka’s multi-goal performances and Edwards historic scoring highlight how the team blends experience and first-time Olympians to maintain pressure in every zone.
Goaltender Aerin Frankel has been equally crucial, posting multiple shutouts and providing the defensive backbone that allows the forwards to play aggressively. As the tournament progresses toward the medal rounds, the podium is expected to feature traditional women’s hockey powerhouses: the United States, Canada and Finland.
With the Americans’ commanding performances, they are positioned as the favorites for gold, while Canada, recovering from its historic shutout loss, remains a strong contender for silver.
Bronze is likely to go to a European team, with Switzerland or Finland in contention. Team USA’s combination of skill, depth, and historic achievements has made them the team to beat in Milano Cortina. With the semifinals looming, the squad has proven its dominance and demonstrated the talent, strategy and resilience to bring home the Olympic gold.
