History in Milan: Team USA Dismantles Canada in Record-Breaking Shutout

Read Time:2 Minute, 18 Second

On Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey Team didn’t just win; they sent a shockwave through the sport. In what was expected to be a tightly contested battle for Group A supremacy, Team USA delivered a 5–0 masterclass over Canada, marking the first time in Olympic history that the Canadian women have been held scoreless.

With this victory, the Americans finish the preliminary round with a perfect 4–0 record, having outscored their opponents 20–1.

A Historic Shutout

Entering the game, Canada had never been shut out in 41 previous Olympic contests dating back to the sport’s debut in 1998. That streak ended at the hands of Aerin Frankel, who stood tall in net with a 20-save clean sheet.

Defensive Dominance: The U.S. has now recorded three consecutive shutouts and hasn’t conceded a goal in over 211 minutes of play.
The “Poulin” Factor: It is worth noting that Canada played without legendary captain Marie-Philip Poulin, who was sidelined with a lower-body injury suffered in their previous game against Czechia.

Stars of the Game: The New Guard

While the rivalry is usually defined by veterans, Tuesday belonged to the younger generation of American stars who looked a step faster than their northern rivals.

Hannah Bilka: The Texas native was electric, netting two goals, including a clinical one-timer in the second period that pushed the lead to 4–0.
Caroline Harvey: The 23-year-old defender continued her tournament for the ages, recording three points (1G, 2A). She leads the team in scoring with 7 points through four games.
Laila Edwards: Made history by becoming the first Black woman to score an Olympic goal for Team USA, sniping a wrist shot into the top corner in the third period to provide the final 5–0 margin.
Kirsten Simms: The University of Wisconsin star notched her first career Olympic goal on a second-period power play.

Knight Ties the Record

The veteran presence was still felt as captain Hilary Knight recorded an assist on Harvey’s opening goal.

The Milestone: With that assist, Knight reached 32 career Olympic points, officially tying Jenny Potter for the most in U.S. Women’s Olympic history. She will have the chance to claim the record solely in the quarterfinals.