Record-Breaking Shutout: Team USA Silences Finland to Go 2-0

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On the first full day of competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, the U.S. Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey Team continued its dominant start with a 5–0 shutout victory over Finland on Saturday, February 7, at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena.

The win moves the Americans to 2–0 in Group A play and was highlighted by a historic milestone for team captain Hilary Knight.

Knight Ties the Record

The headline of the afternoon was Hilary Knight making history with a goal at the 9:17 mark of the second period—a clinical spin-and-bank shot off the goalie’s blocker—Knight netted her 14th career Olympic goal.

The Milestone: She now sits in a tie for the most career Olympic goals by an American woman, joining legends Natalie Darwitz and Katie King.

Closing in on Points: Knight now has 29 career Olympic points, placing her just three shy of Jenny Potter’s all-time U.S. record (32).

Game Summary: Wearing Down the Finns

Finland entered the game having spent much of the week battling a norovirus outbreak that had previously forced the postponement of their opener against Canada. While the Finns showed early resilience, the American depth and puck movement eventually overwhelmed them.

First Period: Alex Carpenter opened the scoring for the second straight game, capitalizing on a power play with 4:48 remaining in the frame.
Second Period Explosion: The U.S. blew the game open with three goals in the first ten minutes. Taylor Heise and Megan Keller scored in quick succession before Knight’s record-tying tally made it 4–0.

Third Period: Abbey Murphy added the final touch with her first-ever Olympic goal, jamming home a rebound with 4:04 left in the contest.

By The Numbers

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	Final
Finland	0	0	0	0
USA	1	3	1	5

Shots on Goal: USA 49, Finland 11
Goaltending: Aerin Frankel recorded her first Olympic shutout, stopping all 11 shots. Finland’s Sanni Ahola was heroic in defeat, making 44 saves.

Special Teams: USA went 2-for-6 on the power play; Finland had zero power play opportunities.

Crowd and Atmosphere

The Americans played in front of another high-profile audience, with Vice President JD Vance and his family in attendance for the second consecutive game. They were joined by influencer Jake Paul, who was seen cheering on the squad as they moved to the top of the Group A standings with a +10 goal differential through two games.