Olympics hockey semifinals: Team USA dominates Sweden, will play for gold against Canada
MILAN — The U. S. women’s team delivered another emphatic statement in Milan, blanking Sweden 5-0 in the Olympic semifinal to set up a gold-medal showdown with Canada on Thursday at 1: 10 p. m. ET. Five different American players scored and goaltender Aerin Frankel posted her fifth consecutive shutout as the Americans continued a relentless run through the tournament.
Depth and defense underline usa hockey’s runaway run
The win was another showcase of balanced scoring and rock-solid defense. The U. S. has outscored opponents 31-1 across the tournament and entered the medal round having gone 16 straight periods without allowing a goal. The lone blemish on the Americans’ ledger came early in group play on a fluky breakaway, but otherwise the roster has been suffocating in its coverage and precise in its execution.
Forward Taylor Heise praised the team’s internal standards after the game: “We put on a show every time we’re out there because we love to play hockey. From the outside, you can’t even understand how thoroughly people do their jobs in that locker room. And that’s the reason why we’re coming out and winning on a daily basis. ” Fellow veteran Kendall Coyne Schofield pointed to the team culture as the foundation for success: “There’s something special about this one. I think it's ultimately how enjoyable it is to be in that locker room and how everyone is willing to do whatever it takes for this team, no matter what the role is. ”
Individual milestones have accompanied the team’s dominance. Defender Caroline Harvey has piled up nine points (2 goals, 7 assists), the most ever by an American defender in a single Olympic tournament, underscoring how the blue line has become a significant offensive driver as well as a defensive anchor.
Sweden’s breakthrough week ended by overwhelming opposition
Sweden arrived in Milan riding a surprising and convincing run. Seeded outside the top group at the start of the tournament, the Swedes won four group-stage games by comfortable margins and stunned higher-ranked competition in the quarterfinals to reach the medal round. That momentum, however, met a different challenge against the U. S.
The Americans set the tone early. Just over five minutes into the first period, Cayla Barnes beat Sweden’s goaltender with a wrist shot from above the right faceoff circle to open the scoring, and the U. S. never loosened its grip. Sweden managed more shots as the game progressed, but could not break through an American defense and goaltending tandem that have been nearly impenetrable in Milan. Sweden’s coach summed up the mismatch candidly after the game, noting just how difficult it was to find ways to generate consistent scoring chances.
Gold game set: familiar foes, high stakes
The semifinal victory keeps alive a familiar rivalry: the U. S. will face Canada for Olympic gold on Thursday at 1: 10 p. m. ET. The neighbor from the north enters the final as the defending Olympic champion, and the matchup continues a long tradition of North American showdowns for the top prize in women’s hockey.
This tournament has reinforced the depth and balance of the American roster. With contributions up and down the lineup, a defense that pushes play up the ice and a goaltender who has delivered shutout after shutout, the U. S. arrives in the gold-medal game as a cohesive, multi-faceted unit. Thursday’s clash will determine whether that cohesion translates into Olympic gold.
