USA rout Sweden 5-0 as taylor heise converts and the U.S. advances
Heise finishes off second-period sequence to double U. S. lead
Taylor Heise scored the U. S. team’s second goal as the United States moved decisively toward the women’s ice hockey gold-medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, converting a pass from teammate Bilka to make it 2-0 and seize control of the semi-final against Sweden.
Game momentum shifted after early saves
The match began tightly, with Sweden’s goalkeeper Ebba Svenson Traff making several key saves that kept the score close early on. A notable double-save late in the first period limited the damage for Sweden, but the reigning pace and pressure from the U. S. produced increased offensive opportunities as the second period opened.
U. S. offensive burst and the scoring sequence
The breakthrough sequence that produced Heise’s goal followed extended pressure from Team USA. After sustaining pressure around the Swedish net, Bilka found space and squared the puck to Heise, who finished through traffic and off the goalkeeper’s body to make it 2-0. That strike came amid a broader scoring run in the second period that ultimately left Sweden trailing by multiple goals.
Following Heise’s goal, the U. S. continued to press. Abbey Murphy, Leila Edwards, Kendall Coyne and Hayley Scamurra all contributed to the scoring surge later in the period, with Hacken—or a sequence of chances—culminating in multiple finishes that left the Swedish netminder scrambling. Sweden substituted Emma Soderberg into the net during the second period in response to the onslaught.
Final margin and context
The United States extended the lead through the remainder of the match, ultimately winning 5-0. The margin reflected sustained U. S. territorial control and a high volume of shots; at one point the shot count heavily favored the United States over Sweden. The five-goal final score underlined the depth and finishing ability of the American roster in the semi-final setting.
What comes next
With the victory secured, the U. S. will advance to the gold-medal game, where it will face either Canada or Switzerland. The outcome sets up a championship match that will test the U. S. defense and attack against one of the tournament’s other top teams.
Takeaways
The U. S. performance in this semi-final combined strong goaltending from its own netminder earlier in the game, disciplined puck movement and a capacity to convert high-quality chances. Heise’s second-period finish was a pivotal moment: it changed the momentum of the match and opened the door for the subsequent scoring spree that sealed a clear victory and a place in the Olympic final.
