The matchup that everyone wanted to see in the women’s hockey gold-medal game takes place on Thursday.
The United States and Canada square off for gold for the seventh time in Olympic history.
Team USA owns the better record at the Milan Cortina Games, but Canada, the winningest women’s hockey nation in Olympic history, can’t be counted out.
Before the USA-Canada showdown takes place, Sweden and Switzerland will fight it out for the bronze medal.
Women’s Hockey Medal Round Info
Bronze-Medal Game: Sweden vs. Switzerland (Thursday, 8:40 a.m. ET, Peacock)
Gold-Medal Game: USA vs. Canada (Thursday, 1:10 p.m. ET, USA, Peacock)
Team USA and Canada have battled for the Olympic gold six times prior to Milan.
Canada owns a 4-2 record in those matchups. The Canadians have also won five of the last six golds in women’s hockey.
Team USA has arguably its deepest team to ever play on Olympic ice in 2026.
Hilary Knight, Alex Carpenter and Co. have been scoring at will and the defense has not allowed a goal since the opening contest of the group stage.
The Americans dominated their group-stage matchup with Canada last week. The 5-0 thumping sent a message to the entire hockey community about how strong Team USA actually is.
Canada did not have its best player, Marie-Philip Poulin, for the first showdown with the Americans.
Poulin is the all-time leading scorer in Olympic women’s hockey history. She scored twice in the semifinal win over Switzerland.
Poulin is, without a doubt, one of the best big-game players in the history of the sport.
Team USA must contain the Canadian legend to be in a great position to claim gold.
Sweden and Switzerland will square off for a rare women’s hockey medal for either country.
Sweden won a silver and a bronze in its Olympic history, while Switzerland has one bronze medal.
The Swedes were the better team in the group stage, but they also played weaker opposition in Group B.
Switzerland only beat Czechia in the group stage and then held on for a 1-0 win over Finland in the quarterfinals.
Both teams were outplayed in the semifinals, but Switzerland had the more respectable result against Canada.
Sweden should be favored slightly, but Switzerland can win the bronze on the back of goalie Andrea Brandli, who singlehandedly put the Swiss into the semifinals with her performance against Finland.