The most storied rivalry in women’s hockey will add another chapter as Canada and the United States will clash for the gold at Milano Cortina 2026.
Canada reached the final with a close 2-1 win over Switzerland in the semifinal, while the US cruised to the gold medal game with a 5-0 shutout of Sweden.
The gold medal game, set for Thursday afternoon at the Milano Santagiulia IHO Arena, will be the seventh time in eight Olympic Games that the rivals will meet in the final. The only time Canada and the USA did not meet in the final was in Turin in 2006, when Sweden upset the Americans in the semifinal.
Canada is 4-2 against the United States in the Olympic final, with the most recent win coming in a 3-2 victory in Beijing four years ago.
Each of the past three gold medal games has ended in a 3-2 final. The Canadians won in regulation in Beijing 2022 and in overtime in Sochi 2014, while the Americans took a 3-2 shootout win in PyeongChang in 2018.
This time around, the Americans will enter the final as the heavy favourite following a decisive 5-0 victory over Canada in the preliminary round.
“Obviously, they’re a very good opponent. They’ve been a good opponent every single time I’ve played them in my Olympic experience. It’s going to take a lot of passion,” said Canada forward Sarah Nurse. “I think the biggest thing to take from the preliminary game is going to be our compete. I want to see us winning every single battle, disrupting pucks, and being the best ones on the ice.”
“Ever since watching Canada win gold on home ice at the 2010 Winter Olympics, it’s been something I’ve dreamed of. Just to be here with this special group, I’m excited to get the chance to play for gold,” said Canadian defender Sophie Jaques, who is playing in her first Olympics.
Team Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin scored both goals in Canada’s close semifinal win over the Swiss on Monday, setting a new record with 20 career goals in the Olympic women’s hockey tournament. Former teammate Hayley Wickenheiser held the previous record of 18.
The 33-year-old has scored seven goals across four Olympic finals, making her the only player, male or female, to score in four different finals games.
The Beauceville, Que. native continues to fight through a lower-body injury sustained in Canada’s preliminary win over Czechia. Poulin returned to the lineup after a two-game absence and has scored three goals in two games to push Canada to the brink of another gold medal.
“She wants this gold medal probably more than anybody. We’re going to have to match that leading into our next game,” Nurse said of Poulin.
“She’s a fighter. She’s a leader. And her impact on this team goes beyond the goals she scores. It’s a testimony [to] how hard she works every day and the way she competes day in and day out,” said goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens.
The United States has dominated Canada in recent action, winning all four Rivalry Series games in November and December by a combined score of 24-7.
“It’s the gold medal game,” said U.S. forward Taylor Heise. “Everyone’s going to show up, and if they don’t, they’re not meant to be there.”
The United States are 6-0 in the tournament and have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 31-1. The United States carry a shutout streak of 331 minutes, 23 seconds into the gold medal game and have not conceded a goal since Czechia’s Barbora Jurickova scored in the second period of a tournament-opening 5-1 win.
