MILAN — Swedish fans at Santagiulia Arena erupted in cheers just eleven minutes into their team’s semifinal showdown with the dominant U.S. women’s hockey squad.
Was it a goal? Relentless offensive pressure? A power play opportunity? None of the above. It was merely Sweden’s long-awaited first shot on target.
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While Sweden managed to get more pucks towards the American net throughout Monday’s one-sided semifinal, they ultimately posed no greater threat to the U.S. than any previous competitor in Milan. With five different American players finding the net and goaltender Aerin Frankel securing her team’s fifth straight shutout, the U.S. decisively beat Sweden 5-0, securing their spot in Thursday’s 1:10 p.m. ET gold-medal game against Canada.
U.S. forward Taylor Heise stated, “Every time we step onto the ice, we deliver a performance because our passion for hockey is immense. Outsiders can’t truly grasp the dedication and thoroughness with which everyone in that locker room executes their roles. That commitment is precisely why we consistently emerge victorious.”
Swedish coach Ulf Lundberg commented, “Perhaps today, we would have needed a sheet of plexiglass covering our net just to remain competitive.”
Even Canada, America’s northern neighbor and the current Olympic champions, couldn’t mount a significant challenge against the U.S. in group stage play. Without their injured captain Marie-Philip Poulin, Canada suffered a quiet 5-0 defeat to the Americans, marking the first time Canada had ever been shut out in Olympic history.
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That match underscored the dominant narrative of these Olympics. The Americans have stormed their way to the gold-medal game, boasting a remarkable 31-1 scoring differential against their rivals and maintaining a pristine defensive record for 16 consecutive periods.
The solitary goal conceded by the U.S. was a fortunate occurrence in their initial group stage game. Barbora Jurickova of Czechia capitalized on a U.S. turnover, breaking free from the penalty box at the opportune moment to score, which stands as the only imperfection on the Americans’ impressive record.
American forward Kendall Coyne Schofield remarked, “Having played on many teams during my career, this one truly feels unique. I believe it ultimately comes down to the sheer enjoyment of being in that locker room and the collective willingness of everyone to do whatever is necessary for this team, regardless of their specific role.”
Though not initially predicted to advance to the women’s hockey medal rounds, the Swedes came to Milan determined to make a statement. During the group stage, Olympic organizers categorized the five top-ranked teams into Group A and the remaining five into Group B. Sweden interpreted their placement in Group B as a slight, convinced they deserved to be considered among the medal contenders.
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Across their first five games in Milan, Sweden converted skeptics into believers. They sailed through group play, securing victory in all four matches by a three-goal margin each time. Subsequently, they seized their initial opportunity against a higher-ranked adversary, achieving a shutout against bronze-medal hopeful Czechia in the quarterfinals.
Despite Sweden’s commendable performance in Milan, their semifinal clash with the U.S. presented an entirely different challenge. BetMGM listed Sweden as a massive 28-to-1 underdog to win outright. A Swedish triumph would have been as monumental in women’s hockey as the New York Giants’ improbable helmet catch against the New England Patriots or Buster Douglas’s stunning upset of Mike Tyson.
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The U.S. quickly established their dominance, dashing any hopes of an upset with a first-period goal scored just over five minutes into the match. Cayla Barnes’ wrist shot, taken from above the right faceoff circle, expertly found its way past Swedish goaltender Svensson Traff on the glove side. A dense cluster of players in front of the net likely obstructed Traff’s view of the incoming puck.
The score remained 1-0 as the game transitioned into the second period. That’s when the scoring surge truly commenced.
The U.S. capitalized on a 2-on-1 rush, with Hannah Bilka driving towards the net before setting up Taylor Heise, whose shot inexplicably slipped past Traff. Moments later, Abbey Murphy extended the lead to 3-0 with a powerful shot from close quarters, beating Traff from a narrow angle. By the conclusion of the second period, goals from Coyne Schofield and Hayley Scamurra had propelled the score to a commanding 5-0.
The Americans traveled to Milan with a clear “gold-or-bust” objective. They are now just a single victory away from accomplishing their ultimate goal.
Heise expressed, “We are immensely eager to showcase our abilities on Thursday. When we concentrate on our strengths, our performance is exceptional.”
Explore all the real-time updates, key moments, and additional coverage from the U.S. women’s victory against Sweden in the Olympic hockey tournament semifinals:
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Ian Casselberry
Holding a 5-0 advantage with just six minutes left, Team USA seemed destined for the gold medal game, where they would meet the victor of the Canada-Switzerland match, set to start at 3:10 p.m. ET.
A prospective USA vs. Canada gold medal match was precisely the highly anticipated outcome for women’s ice hockey enthusiasts from both nations heading into the 2026 Winter Olympics.
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Ian Casselberry
For those just tuning in, Team USA leads Sweden 5-0 as their semifinal contest enters the third period. Advancing would secure the U.S. a spot in the gold medal game.
Cayla Barnes, Taylor Heise, Abbey Murphy, Kendall Coyne, and Hayley Scamurra have all scored for Team USA, who have accumulated 24 shots on goal.
Hilary Knight is on the verge of breaking the U.S. Olympic record for women’s ice hockey goals; with 14 goals, she is currently tied with Natalie Darwitz and Katie King.
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Ian Casselberry
While not unexpected given their 5-0 lead, the USA has outshot Sweden after two periods. Nevertheless, the margin isn’t as wide as one might anticipate, with Team USA registering 24 shots compared to Sweden’s 15.
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Chris Cwik
At the start of the second period, it appeared Sweden might rally. Despite being outshot 13-2 in the first, Sweden adopted a more aggressive approach early in the second.
Team USA withstood this initial offensive push before gradually hitting their stride as the period progressed. Taylor Heise netted a goal to give the Americans a 2-0 lead.
Following a brief lull in scoring, Team USA unleashed a scoring spree, notching three goals within three minutes, with one occurring immediately after Sweden swapped goaltenders.
Team USA entered the third period with a 5-0 advantage. A victory would secure the Americans a spot in the gold-medal game.
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Chris Cwik
Abbie Murphy incurred a late second-period penalty for goalie interference. She collided with Swedish goaltender Emma Soderberg, who was positioned behind the net, sending Soderberg to the ice.
A delayed penalty was signaled, and Murphy was penalized once Team USA gained control of the puck. However, Sweden also received a penalty as Jessica Adolfsson retaliated against Murphy.
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Chris Cwik
Team Sweden found itself in disarray following Team USA’s formidable start. Trailing 4-0 in the second period, the Swedish squad opted to change goaltenders.
Ebba Svensson Traff was substituted by Emma Soderberg.
The Americans quickly capitalized on Soderberg, as Hayley Scamurra scored with 2:01 remaining, extending Team USA’s lead to 5-0.
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Chris Cwik
A defensive lapse gifted Team USA another goal. As the Americans vied for possession deep in Sweden’s zone, Abbie Murphy exploited an undefended area.
Murphy, wide open, received the puck and fired a shot past Sweden’s goaltender, making the score 3-0.
Laila Edwards soon joined the scoring, adding her own goal shortly after Murphy’s, pushing the lead to 4-0 with under four minutes remaining in the second period.
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Chris Cwik
This was the goal that extended Team USA’s lead to 2-0 in the second period.
Hannah Bilka located Taylor Heise, who skillfully maneuvered the puck past the goalkeeper’s pads to score.
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Chris Cwik
Despite being shorthanded, Team USA once again successfully defended, thwarting another Swedish power play and preserving their 2-0 lead in the second period.
Even with a player down, Team USA almost scored on a breakaway, but Sweden’s goaltender made a crucial save to keep the score at 2-0.
While Sweden has narrowed the shot gap and performed better in the second period, Team USA’s offensive pressure has remained too potent.
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Chris Cwik
Sweden registered two shots, but Team USA successfully navigated Sweden’s power play in the second period.
Immediately following the penalty, Team USA came close to scoring their second goal.
However, the Americans soon found the back of the net. After a close call with an offsides penalty, Hannah Bilka connected with Taylor Heise on a two-on-one rush. Heise’s shot caromed off Sweden’s goaltender’s pads before settling into the net for the game’s second score.
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Chris Cwik
Around six minutes into the second period, Sweden seemed to regain its momentum. Having recorded only two shots in the first period, Sweden rapidly increased their tally to eight shots early in the second frame.
In fact, Sweden held an early 6-2 advantage in shots for the period.
Furthermore, Team Sweden just secured a power play opportunity and will aim to equalize the score at 1-1 while enjoying the man advantage.
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Chris Cwik
Following a brief intermission, the second period has commenced. Sweden immediately displayed renewed energy, registering their third shot of the match early in the frame.
After another Swedish shot, a confrontation nearly erupted on the ice. While composure was restored, Sweden presented a noticeably more aggressive demeanor at the start of the second period.
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Chris Cwik
Team USA experienced a near-perfect first period, leading 1-0 after outshooting Sweden by a decisive 13-2 margin.
The Americans controlled possession throughout the period, consistently pressuring Sweden’s defense. To their credit, Sweden largely managed to hold their ground. An early goal by Cayla Barnes gave Team USA the lead, but Sweden successfully fended off further scores for the remainder of the period.
Although Sweden had limited offensive opportunities during the period, they posed a late threat, almost scoring on their second shot of the game.
Despite the promising start for the Americans, Sweden’s late surge served as a reminder that it remained a single-goal game. Team USA will need to be more efficient with their shots in the second period to secure a comfortable victory.
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Chris Cwik
Approximately three-quarters through the first period, Team USA was clearly outplaying Sweden. Although the U.S. held only a 1-0 lead, they maintained a significant advantage in shots on goal.
With 6:37 left in the period, Team USA had accumulated 9 shots on goal, while Sweden had just one.
Team USA effectively attacked Sweden’s defense, preventing them from clearing the puck from their zone. Sweden will need to address this disparity to have any chance of overcoming the Americans.
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Chris Cwik
This is the shot that provided Team USA with their initial lead against Sweden.
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Chris Cwik
Team USA has commenced their game against Sweden with an excellent start. Just 14:51 into the first period, Cayla Barnes scored with a long-range shot, giving the U.S. a 1-0 lead.
It was a commanding possession for Team USA, who spent considerable time deep in Sweden’s zone before the score. Despite Sweden’s determined efforts, they were unable to clear the puck. Team USA demonstrated strong puck movement during the play, culminating in Barnes’ goal.
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Chris Cwik
And we’re off! Team USA and Sweden have officially begun their clash of undefeated teams. The victor will progress to the gold-medal game, while the defeated team will compete for the bronze.
Team USA secured the opening face-off, but play halted swiftly due to an icing infraction just seven seconds into the game.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
Knight is close to achieving a historic milestone, currently tied for the leading scorer in women’s Olympic hockey with 14 goals.
