MILAN, Italy – The U.S. women’s hockey team is proving it is the team to beat in the Olympic preliminary rounds.
Cruising to its second straight shutout victory – 5-0 – over Switzerland on Monday night inside Santagiulia Arena, Team USA is not only undefeated through the first three games of its Group A schedule, but it has have dominated opponents and holds an astounding 14-1 scoring advantage.
Canada was up on Czechia by the same score after two periods, less than 20 miles away at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena. The sight of their captain, Marie-Philip Poulin, limping off the ice in the first period, however, was the biggest news to come out of the women’s hockey tournament Monday night.
Sustaining a hit from Kristyna Kaltounkova, Poulin labored down the tunnel before returning to Canada’s bench at the end of the period. She did not return for the start of the middle frame.
Poulin or not, the heavyweight matchup of this round-robin bracket will set the tone Tuesday night.
2026 WINTER OLYMPICS
A presumed preview of the gold medal game – because history says so – Canada and the United States will square off inside Santagiulia Arena and officially begin another chapter in one of the best rivalries in sport.
If you think you know the way this tournament will end, you don’t.
In the 1998 Nagano Games, the Canadians stepped onto the international stage as the undisputed favorites after winning all four IIHF Women’s World Championships held between 1990 and 1997. Team USA then defeated Canada 3-1 to go undefeated in the tournament and secure the first Olympic gold in women’s hockey.
Having defeated Canada in eight consecutive pre-Olympic meetings, the Americans carried a 35-game winning streak into the 2002 Salt Lake City Games and were widely considered to be the better team. Team Canada prevailed in a 3-2 victory over the U.S. to capture their first-ever Olympic gold.
The two nations have battled for the top spot on the podium in all but one Olympic tournament – in 2006, when Sweden upset the U.S. in the semifinals – since women’s hockey was named an Olympic sport 28 years ago.
Canada has lost only three games in the Olympics since then.
