US women’s hockey team rolls into Olympic semifinals as Megan Keller sparks rout

The US women’s hockey team surged into the final four at the women’s hockey Olympics with a 6–0 quarterfinal win over host Italy on Friday, extending a stretch of suffocating defense and opportunistic special teams. Megan Keller opened the scoring on the power play late in the first period, and the Americans broke the game open with five goals in the second.

The result keeps USA women’s hockey on a dominant trajectory in Milan, with the group-stage favorite now two wins from gold and still piling up lopsided margins.

Megan Keller sets the tone early

Keller’s first-period power-play goal flipped what had been an energetic, goaltender-driven start. Italy had kept the game within reach early despite a heavy shot deficit, but Keller’s point shot beat the goalie high at 13:31 of the first to make it 1–0 and settle the Americans.

From there, the U.S. pushed the pace, won races to loose pucks, and forced repeated defensive-zone shifts. Keller wasn’t just the opening scorer—she also factored in the second-period avalanche with two assists, helping turn a cautious 1–0 into a runaway.

The second-period blitz decides it

If Italy’s plan was to survive into the third period within striking distance, the second period ended that idea quickly. The U.S. struck twice in the opening minutes, then kept rolling with wave after wave of pressure.

By the second intermission it was 6–0, with the Americans spreading production across the lineup and cashing in on a power play. The third period became game management: protect the middle of the ice, avoid penalties, and close out the shutout.

USA womens hockey scores: a defense-first run

The quarterfinal followed the same script that has defined the tournament for the Americans: control the puck, keep opponents to the perimeter, and let depth scoring do the rest. Through the end of group play, the U.S. had outscored opponents 20–1 and carried a long scoreless streak against in net, leaning on structured breakouts and a relentless forecheck to limit clean entries.

Here’s a snapshot of USA women’s hockey results so far:

Bracket picture and what comes next

Saturday’s quarterfinals finalize the semifinal field and the reseeding order. Canada plays Germany at 2:40 p.m. ET, and Finland faces Switzerland at 3:10 p.m. ET.

For the Americans, the likely semifinal opponent hinges on Canada’s result: if Canada advances, the U.S. is lined up for a semifinal against Sweden on Monday; if Germany pulls the upset, the Americans would face Germany instead. Medal games are scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 19.

The larger takeaway from the women’s hockey Olympics so far is that the U.S. hasn’t needed one superstar night to win—though Keller’s opener against Italy showed how quickly a single moment can break an underdog’s resolve. The Americans have been comfortable winning with five goals, and now have a six-goal statement to underline it.

What to watch in the semifinals

Two things will matter most against the remaining contenders:

First, special teams. Keller’s power-play strike was the hinge point against Italy, and tighter semifinal games often swing on a single advantage.

Second, the transition game. The U.S. has turned quick outlet passes and aggressive pinches into extended zone time—great for generating chances, but also the area where the fastest opponents can counter if gaps open.

So far, USA women’s hockey has looked built for the grind of knockout hockey: layered defense, pressure without panic, and enough finishing to bury teams when cracks appear. The semifinals will be the first true test of whether that formula holds when the margins shrink.