usa hockey olympics: U.S. Women Roll Into Gold Medal Game After 5-0 Semifinal
MILAN — A balanced attack and ironclad goaltending carried the U. S. women’s hockey team into the Olympic gold-medal game Thursday, Feb. 19. The Americans beat Sweden 5-0 in the semifinal, extending an astonishing defensive run and setting up a title showdown at 1: 10 p. m. ET.
Semifinal domination: five scorers, one goalie, no doubt
The win was a statement of depth. Five different players found the net, and netminder Aerin Frankel turned in a shutout performance that underscored the team’s tournament-long dominance. Frankel stopped 23 shots to record her third shutout of the Games, a milestone that puts her in uncharted territory for Olympic women’s hockey.
Offense came from all over the lineup. The scoring opened early when Cayla Barnes ripped a shot from the right circle to make it 1-0. Taylor Heise converted a one-timer in the second period to push the margin, and Abbey Murphy followed with a sharp-angle wrist shot. A quick deflection by Kendall Coyne Schofield and a late poke-in by Hayley Scamurra sealed the victory.
Statistically the performance was clinical: the U. S. outshot Sweden 34-23, posted a 5-0 final score and did not register a power play opportunity while shutting down three Swedish power plays. Across six games in the tournament the Americans have outscored opponents 31-1 and have not allowed a goal in 331 minutes and 23 seconds of play — a run that has become the foundation of their title push.
What to watch in the gold-medal game
The matchup with Canada brings the sport’s most intense rivalry into the Olympic spotlight. Expect the gold medal game to hinge on goaltending, special teams and which team’s depth forwards can tilt puck possession in the offensive zone. The U. S. will lean on Frankel’s calm between the pipes and a forward group that has supplied scoring threats up and down the roster.
Key storylines include whether the Americans can sustain offensive balance without a power play advantage, how they respond to the physical chess match Canada typically brings, and whether Frankel can continue her shutout streak against a top opponent. The U. S. coaching staff has emphasized consistency and tenacity; those traits were on display in the semifinal and will be essential against a rival familiar with gold-medal pressure.
Momentum and Olympic context
This edition of the women’s tournament has seen surprises, but the U. S. side has been an exception — a team that has combined stifling defense with opportunistic scoring. The semifinal shutout extended a run that already places the Americans among the most dominant defensive units the event has seen, and the goalie’s trio of shutouts is reshaping expectations for goaltending performances at the Games.
Thursday’s final will be as much about execution as it is about handling the moment. The matchup has history and familiarity, and both sides know how a single turnover or power-play swing can decide gold. With puck drop set for 1: 10 p. m. ET, the U. S. will try to convert its tournament-long strengths — depth, discipline and elite netminding — into an Olympic title.
In the immediate term, the Americans can take confidence from a semifinal that showcased roster balance and defensive resolve. In the bigger picture, the team’s run through this tournament has already served notice: this squad came to win, and everything after 1: 10 p. m. ET on Thursday will determine whether that mission is complete.
