USA, Canada have history of tight games playing for women's hockey gold
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USA, Canada have history of tight games playing for women's hockey gold
Mike Brehm, USA TODAY·USA TODAY Sports
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2 min read
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The USA's5-0 win against rival Canadain the preliminary round was an anomaly in the history of Olympics women's hockey.
TheUSA and Canada will meeton Thursday, Feb. 19, in the gold medal game (1:10 p.m. ET on USA/Peacock) and all of their previous six meetings in championship games have been close. In fact, the last three and four of the six have been 3-2 scores.
In 2014, the USA held a 2-0 lead with five minutes left before Brianne Jenner made it 2-1. The Americans hit the post on a shot toward an empty net, then Poulin tied the game in the final minute. Knight was in the penalty box when Poulin scored in overtime.
Ann-Renee Desbiens (35) of Canada gives up a goal to Caroline Harvey (not pictured) of the United States in women's ice hockey group a play during theMilano Cortina 2026Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(David W Cerny, Reuters via Imagn Images)
Canada's defender #14 Renata Fast (L) vies for the puck with USA's forward #23 Hannah Bilka during the women's preliminary round Group A Ice Hockey match between Canada and USA at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, on Feb. 10, 2026.
(ALEXANDER NEMENOV, AFP via Getty Images)
Haley Winn (8) of the United States controls the puck against Emily Clark (26) of Canada in women's ice hockey group A play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)
Hannah Bilka (23) of the United States celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Canada in women's ice hockey group A play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)
USA's forward #17 Britta Curl (C), USA's forward #21 Hilary Knight (L) and USA's forward #25 Alex Carpenter (R) celebrate a team goal during the women's preliminary round Group A Ice Hockey match between Canada and USA at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, on Feb. 10, 2026.
(ALEXANDER NEMENOV, AFP via Getty Images)
A fan of Canada takes a photo of an American flag in women's ice hockey group A play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)
Workers clean the ice in women's ice hockey group A play between Canada and the United States during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)
USA's players gather at the goal post beofre the women's preliminary round Group A Ice Hockey match between Canada and USA at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, on Feb. 10, 2026.
(Pool photo, AFP via Getty Images)
Sophie Jaques (2) of Canada heads to the ice to play against the United States in women's ice hockey group A play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)
Aerin Frankel (31) of the United States leads the team to the ice to play against Canada in women's ice hockey group A play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)
1/10
Rival powers battle as USA faces Canada at Winter Games
Ann-Renee Desbiens (35) of Canada gives up a goal to Caroline Harvey (not pictured) of the United States in women's ice hockey group a play during theMilano Cortina 2026Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(David W Cerny, Reuters via Imagn Images)
1/10
Rival powers battle as USA faces Canada at Winter Games
Ann-Renee Desbiens (35) of Canada gives up a goal to Caroline Harvey (not pictured) of the United States in women's ice hockey group a play during theMilano Cortina 2026Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(David W Cerny, Reuters via Imagn Images)
2/10
Rival powers battle as USA faces Canada at Winter Games
Canada's defender #14 Renata Fast (L) vies for the puck with USA's forward #23 Hannah Bilka during the women's preliminary round Group A Ice Hockey match between Canada and USA at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, on Feb. 10, 2026.
(ALEXANDER NEMENOV, AFP via Getty Images)
3/10
Rival powers battle as USA faces Canada at Winter Games
Haley Winn (8) of the United States controls the puck against Emily Clark (26) of Canada in women's ice hockey group A play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)
4/10
Rival powers battle as USA faces Canada at Winter Games
Hannah Bilka (23) of the United States celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Canada in women's ice hockey group A play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)
5/10
Rival powers battle as USA faces Canada at Winter Games
USA's forward #17 Britta Curl (C), USA's forward #21 Hilary Knight (L) and USA's forward #25 Alex Carpenter (R) celebrate a team goal during the women's preliminary round Group A Ice Hockey match between Canada and USA at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, on Feb. 10, 2026.
(ALEXANDER NEMENOV, AFP via Getty Images)
6/10
Rival powers battle as USA faces Canada at Winter Games
A fan of Canada takes a photo of an American flag in women's ice hockey group A play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)
7/10
Rival powers battle as USA faces Canada at Winter Games
Workers clean the ice in women's ice hockey group A play between Canada and the United States during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)
8/10
Rival powers battle as USA faces Canada at Winter Games
USA's players gather at the goal post beofre the women's preliminary round Group A Ice Hockey match between Canada and USA at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, on Feb. 10, 2026.
(Pool photo, AFP via Getty Images)
9/10
Rival powers battle as USA faces Canada at Winter Games
Sophie Jaques (2) of Canada heads to the ice to play against the United States in women's ice hockey group A play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)
10/10
Rival powers battle as USA faces Canada at Winter Games
Aerin Frankel (31) of the United States leads the team to the ice to play against Canada in women's ice hockey group A play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
(Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)
The USA did the rallying in 2018 in a game in which both Knight and Poulin scored. Monique Lamoureux tied the game in the third period and her sister Jocelyne had the decisive goal to give the Americans a shootout win.
In 2022, Poulin scored twice for a 3-0 lead before Knight scored. Amanda Kessel made it 3-2 with 13 seconds left, but that ended up as the final score.
