Olympic hockey semifinal: Team USA overwhelms Sweden, sets up gold-medal showdown with Canada
MILAN — The United States women’s hockey team delivered another clinic on dominance Monday, blanking Sweden 5-0 in the Olympic semifinal at Santagiulia Arena and booking a berth in Thursday’s gold-medal game against Canada. Five different American players scored, and goaltender Aerin Frankel posted her fifth consecutive shutout as the U. S. extended an astonishing defensive streak while continuing to pile up goals.
U. S. power and depth on full display
Just over five minutes into the game the Americans sent an early message with a wrist shot from the point that beat Sweden’s goaltender, and the barrage never let up. The U. S. has outscored its opponents 31-1 in Milan and entered the final rounds having not allowed a goal in 16 straight periods — a span listed at 331 minutes and an Olympic record.
Forward Taylor Heise captured the mood succinctly 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. ” Kendall Coyne Schofield added that the team’s cohesion and willingness to embrace any role have been decisive: “There’s something special about this one… everyone is willing to do whatever it takes for this team, no matter what the role is. ”
Frankel’s shutout was the fifth straight for the Americans in the tournament, underscoring the team’s balance of elite goaltending, stifling team defense and scoring depth. The result continued a theme of the Games: the U. S. has been virtually unstoppable, turning every opponent into a punchline by outworking and outmuscling them over the course of full games.
Sweden’s unlikely run hits a wall
Sweden arrived in Milan as one of the tournament’s feel-good stories. Placed in the lower group during pool play, the Swedes used that slight as motivation, winning their group games convincingly and then knocking out a favored Czechia squad in the quarterfinals. Their path to the semifinals was marked by confident play and resilient team defense.
But the leap from being a strong underdog to toppling the tournament’s dominant side proved too steep. Swedish supporters in Santagiulia Arena celebrated when their team finally recorded its first shot on goal early in the contest — a moment that underscored how stifling the American defense had been. Swedish coach Ulf Lundberg summed up the challenge bluntly: “Today, maybe we needed a plexiglass in front of our net to stay in the game. ”
Betting markets had listed Sweden as a long shot to win the semifinal, and the gulf in execution on Monday reinforced the gap between upset hopes and the reality of facing a near-flawless American lineup.
What’s next: classic rivalry for Olympic gold
The U. S. will face Canada in the gold-medal game on Thursday at 1: 10 p. m. ET, setting up yet another chapter in one of international sport’s most enduring rivalries. Canada, the reigning Olympic champion, has its own questions to answer after suffering a 5-0 defeat to the Americans in group play while missing captain Marie-Philip Poulin due to injury; that loss marked the first time Canada had been shut out at the Olympics.
The matchup promises to be a tactical and emotional showdown: for the U. S., the chance to cap an overwhelming run with gold; for Canada, an opportunity to defend a title and respond to a decisive group-stage loss. For neutrals, it is a rare guaranteed high-stakes clash between the two best teams at this tournament.
When the puck drops in Milan, the storylines are clear — American depth and defensive sting versus Canadian pedigree and the will to reclaim the top step. Whatever the outcome, the final should decide who can match sustained excellence with championship composure on the sport’s biggest stage.
