MILAN – The United States women’s hockey team is one win away from Olympic gold, dominating Sweden 5-0 in the semifinal match at the Milan Cortina Games on Monday. Goaltender Aerin Frankel secured her third shutout of the tournament, turning aside all 21 shots she faced as the Americans continued their perfect run through the competition. The victory sets up a highly anticipated potential gold medal showdown with Canada on Thursday, a rematch of a preliminary round game the U.S. Won decisively 5-0.
The Americans, now 6-0 in the tournament, have yet to be challenged, outscoring their opponents by a staggering combined total of 31-1. They haven’t trailed or been tied at any point in a game, putting them in position to join Canada in 2006 and 2010 as the only women’s teams to complete an entire Olympic tournament without facing adversity on the scoreboard. This dominant performance in women’s ice hockey has solidified their status as the favorites for the gold medal.
A Second-Period Surge
After a scoreless first period, Cayla Barnes broke the deadlock with a snap shot from the top of the right circle, beating Swedish goaltender Ebba Svensson Traff high on the short side. Taylor Heise extended the lead to 2-0 midway through the second period, capitalizing on a backhand pass from Hannah Bilka. The game truly opened up late in the second, as Abbey Murphy, Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Hayley Scamurra scored within a span of 2 minutes and 47 seconds, effectively sealing Sweden’s fate.
“I think we’re looking incredible. The whole tournament we’ve really been consistent,” said Scamurra. “I don’t even think we’re at the peak, but I think our peak is getting that gold medal in hand for sure.”
Frankel’s Dominant Performance and a Historic Shutout Streak
Frankel’s performance was pivotal, extending her shutout streak to 331 minutes and 23 seconds. This impressive run began after Czechia’s Barbora Jurickova broke her shutout bid in the opening game of the tournament. The American netminder has been a cornerstone of the team’s success, providing a sense of security and allowing her teammates to play with confidence.
A Familiar Rivalry Looms
The U.S. Victory sets the stage for a potential seventh gold medal showdown against Canada, the defending Olympic champions. The two teams will face off on Thursday, with the gold medal on the line. The Americans have had the upper hand recently, having defeated Canada 5-0 in the preliminary round and winning seven straight games against their rivals dating back to April at the world championships.
“Nothing matters. It’s the gold medal game,” Heise stated, acknowledging the significance of the upcoming match. “Obviously, I’m going to say we’ve done great and we’ve had great success. You want to take that confidence and motivation, but you want to move forward. We’re going to look for us and we’re going do what we need to do on Thursday and hopefully approach on top.”
Sweden will now compete for the bronze medal on Thursday, aiming to secure their third Olympic medal and their first since winning silver at the 2006 Turin Games. Despite the loss, Swedish coach Ulf Lundberg expressed pride in his team’s effort, stating, “Maybe today we needed a plexiglass in front of the net to stay in the game.”
The game also featured a heartwarming moment with former NFL center Jason Kelce in attendance, applauding a goal initially credited to Laila Edwards. Kelce, a native of Edwards’ hometown of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and his brother Travis Kelce, contributed to a GoFundMe campaign to help Edwards’ family travel to Milan for the games. Edwards remarked, “That was so cool,” upon learning of Kelce’s presence.
Sweden’s performance at the Milan Cortina Games marks a breakthrough for the program, with a young team featuring seven players currently competing in U.S. College hockey. They advanced to the semifinals after an undefeated run through Group B and an upset victory over Czechia in the quarterfinals.
The U.S. Women’s hockey team will now turn their focus to Thursday’s gold medal game, aiming to add another chapter to their storied Olympic history. The team’s dominant performance throughout the tournament has positioned them as strong contenders, but a tough challenge awaits against their long-time rivals, Canada.
The gold medal game is scheduled for Thursday, and fans can uncover updates and coverage on ESPN’s Olympic hockey page.
Share your thoughts on the U.S. Team’s performance and predictions for the gold medal game in the comments below.
