Bold takeaway: Canada’s women’s hockey team is heading to the Olympic gold medal game, poised to defend their title against a red-hot United States squad that has dominated opponents so far this tournament. And this is the part many will find controversial: the U.S. has not just defeated teams; they’ve overwhelmed them with a historic goal difference, setting the stage for a dramatic rematch of the classic Canada–USA final rivalry.
Canada will compete for gold after advancing with a 2-1 semifinal victory over Switzerland in Milan Cortina. The defending champions are one win from repeating, but they’ll face a formidable challenge from the United States, who have outscored their opponents 31-1 across the Milan Games and carry a five-game shutout streak heading into the final.
Key star: Marie-Philip Poulin delivered when it mattered most, scoring both Canadian goals in the second period to erase the tension and set a new Olympic scoring mark for women’s hockey. In doing so, she became the first woman to reach 20 career Olympic goals, surpassing former teammate Hayley Wickenheiser, who held the previous record at 18. Teammate Renata Fast praised Poulin, underscoring that her success comes from daily hard work and consistent excellence, not luck or talent alone.
Historically, Canada has appeared in every women’s hockey Olympic final since the sport debuted in Nagano 1998, and the country has a 5-2 record in those finals, with the two losses to the U.S. coming in 1998 and 2018. The U.S. and Canada have faced off in all but one Olympic final (2006, Turin) when Sweden upset the Americans in a semifinal shootout.
The U.S. entered the final after blanking Sweden 5-0 in the semi, extending their shutout streak to five games and building momentum with a dominant group-stage performance that included a 5-0 win over Canada in the group phase.
U.S. forward Taylor Heise emphasized the gold-medal stakes, saying, “It’s the gold medal game. Everyone’s going to show up, and if they don’t, they’re not meant to be there.”
For Canada, the semifinal against Switzerland was a tougher test than the score line might imply. The Swiss, who had previously faced Canada in the 2022 Beijing semifinal (a 10-3 Canadian win) and the 2014 Sochi game (a 3-1 Canadian win), pushed hard in the third period. Canada led 2-0 after two, but Switzerland’s late pressure, including 44 saves from Andrea Braendli, almost changed the outcome. Braendli stopped a large number of Canadian attempts, while Canada’s Ann-Renee Desbiens made seven saves in net.
Canada outshot Switzerland 46-8 overall and held a commanding 13-1 advantage after the first period and 35-4 by the second break, yet Switzerland narrowed the gap in the third before a late push fell short. Alina Müller assisted Rahel Enzler for Switzerland’s lone goal at 4:53 of the third, and Switzerland pulled Braendli late after an Ivana Wey penalty negated their extra attacker.
Canada’s coach, Troy Ryan, reflected on the game, noting a strong second period where Canada attacked with renewed purpose and a hungry scoring line around Poulin. He also acknowledged a more cautious third period that allowed some danger to creep back into their own end, highlighting the need for poise and continued offensive pressure.
Poulin’s two goals in the semifinal came on a night when she also tied and then broke the Olympic scoring record, marking a historic performance that will loom large in the gold-medal matchup.
By Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
This report originally appeared Feb. 16, 2026, and has since been updated to correct Braendli’s save total.
Discussion prompt: With the U.S.’s current dominance and Canada’s history of clutch moments, what adjustments should each team prioritize to claim Olympic gold? Do you think the final will follow the familiar Canada–USA script, or could an underdog performance reshape the narrative? Share your thoughts in the comments.
