us women's hockey: Knight's final Olympic ride meets Poulin's record-breaking run in gold-medal final
The long-simmering North American rivalry reaches its peak Thursday when the United States and Canada collide for the women's hockey gold medal at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The matchup doubles as a coda for an American legend and a celebration of a Canadian clutch performer: Hilary Knight is skating in her fifth and final Olympics, while Marie-Philip Poulin arrives having just become the all-time leading goal scorer in women's Olympic hockey.
Knight seeks a storybook send-off in her fifth Olympics
Hilary Knight has framed these Games as the last chapter of a storied Olympic career. The forward — a veteran leader with an extensive international résumé — announced before the tournament that Milan-Cortina would be her fifth and final Olympics. Knight has piled up records and medals across two decades and enters the gold-medal game determined to leave on a high note. She has been characterized by teammates as a tone-setter whose work ethic and competitiveness often swing momentum for her team.
For the United States, Knight’s presence is both symbolic and practical: she embodies continuity across multiple Olympic cycles and provides a veteran backbone for a roster that has been rebuilding since the last Games. Younger stars have benefited from her leadership, and the team has leaned on a simple refrain — flip the script — as they chase a return to the top spot after settling for silver in the previous Olympics. Defender Caroline Harvey, who leads Team USA in tournament points with nine, has been one of the on-ice sparks for the American push to the final.
Poulin’s late-game pedigree and an Olympic scoring record
The Canadian story line is equally dramatic. Marie-Philip Poulin has long been known for producing in the game's highest-pressure moments; she has scored game-winning goals in multiple Olympic gold-medal games and carries the nickname “Captain Clutch. ” In the semifinal, Poulin added to that legacy by moving past the previous mark to become the all-time leading goal scorer in women’s Olympic hockey, finishing that game with 20 career Olympic goals.
That milestone underscores why this matchup feels less like an exhibition and more like a defining national moment. Poulin’s ability to deliver in the clutch elevates every Canadian attack and shapes how the Americans must defend the slot. Canada’s path to the final has been built on poise and a roster that leans into experience, and the team has openly framed the tournament as a chance to repeat as Olympic champions.
What to expect Thursday (ET): stakes, strategy and viewing
Thursday’s final will be the seventh Olympic gold-medal meeting between these two programs since women’s hockey debuted at the Games. That frequency has helped harden an intense rivalry: these teams have met in the final in most editions of the event, and the matchup often becomes a chess match of line changes, special-teams opportunities and late-game heroics.
Strategically, expect tight defensive zone coverage and heightened urgency on the power play. The U. S. will aim to limit Poulin’s chances through traffic and stick work while trying to generate speed through the neutral zone to create quick odd-man opportunities. Canada’s plan will be to leverage its veterans in low-risk, high-reward sequences and wait for openings where clutch finishes can decide the outcome.
Fans will have multiple viewing options for the gold-medal game and can stream the match for free through official Olympic broadcast outlets on Thursday in Eastern Time. The broader narrative — Knight’s farewell against Poulin’s record-breaking momentum, plus a young American core trying to seize Olympic gold — guarantees that the final will be one of the marquee moments of these Games, a raw and emotional high-stakes showdown befitting a rivalry that has defined women’s hockey for nearly three decades.
