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The U.S. women’s hockey team has humiliated its competition en route to the gold medal game, where the team will write another chapter in its storied rivalry with Canada on Thursday in the gold medal game of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Throughout these Games, the U.S. has thumped every opponent unlucky enough to stand in its way, and that includes Canada. The Americans have outscored opponents 31-1, and they’ve posted shutouts in five straight games. Team USA has hardly broken a sweat, but the history of its rivalry with Canada suggests that may change in the final.

There have been seven Olympics featuring women’s ice hockey, and the gold medal game has featured U.S. vs. Canada six times. The Canadians are 4-2 in those games with four of them ending in a 3-2 score — and two of those went into overtime. There is rarely much room between these two teams, although the Americans did hand the Canadians a 5-0 loss in the preliminary round.

Team USA has simply been operating on a different level than everyone else in Italy. That starts with defender Caroline Harvey, who leads the tournament with nine points. First-time Olympian Laila Edwards has burst onto the scene with seven points as she ascends toward stardom, and Abbey Murphy seems to be at the center of every big play.

The gold medal game will also be the last Olympic appearance for captain Hilary Knight, who is seeking her fifth Olympic medal and second gold. Knight is also one goal and one point away from breaking a pair of all-time U.S. women’s hockey Olympic records.

Can Team USA finish off one of the most dominant runs in Olympic history? We’ll find out Thursday afternoon.

U.S. women’s hockey Olympic schedule

All times Eastern

Preliminary round

  • Thursday, Feb. 5: USA 5, Czechia 1 
  • Saturday, Feb. 7: USA 5, Finland 0
  • Monday, Feb. 9: USA 5, Switzerland 0
  • Tuesday, Feb. 10: USA 5, Canada 0

Quarterfinal

  • Friday, Feb. 13: USA 6, Italy 0

Semifinal

  • Monday, Feb. 16: USA 5, Sweden 0

Gold medal game

  • USA vs. Canada | Thursday, Feb. 19 | 1:10 p.m. | USA Network