U.S. Women Dominate Canada in Olympic Group Play Victory
The U.S. women’s hockey team achieved a remarkable victory over Canada, winning 5-0 in group play at the Olympics on Tuesday. This result marks the largest margin by which the U.S. has ever defeated Canada in Olympic history. The triumph also extends the U.S. win streak over its longtime rival to seven games.
Historic Shutdown and Recent Trends
This match further highlights the U.S.’s dominance, as Canada had never been shut out at the Olympics. This defeat also marks their first round-robin loss since women’s hockey was introduced in 1998.
With this victory, the United States now leads Group A and is set to face Italy in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Canada will compete against Finland in its final round-robin match on Thursday.
Missing Captain and Match Highlights
Canada played without their captain, Marie-Philip Poulin, who suffered a lower-body injury in the previous game against Czechia. Coach Troy Ryan indicated that Poulin would be reassessed and is doubtful for the match against Finland, though he remains “optimistic” about her return during the Olympics.
- Opening goal: Caroline Harvey scored within the first five minutes.
- Hilary Knight tied the all-time American Olympic scoring record, bringing her total to 32 points.
- Hannah Bilka contributed two goals, with Kirsten Simms and Laila Edwards also scoring.
- Abbey Murphy recorded three assists and drew four penalties.
Notably, Canada substituted goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens after the fifth goal, despite her previous record of 7-0 in the Olympics. Aerin Frankel, the U.S. goalie, successfully kept a clean sheet with 20 saves.
Historic Rivalry
The U.S. and Canada have a storied rivalry, having clashed in six of the seven women’s hockey Olympic gold-medal games, with the exception of the 2006 Olympics. This recent match further cements the competitive nature of their encounters.
