Bitter rivals clash as US women's hockey eyes Olympic gold medal in final against defending champion Canada

The signifier is officially acceptable successful the 2026 Milan Cortina Games — the United States against Canada for women’s hockey golden connected Thursday night.

Since women's hockey joined the Olympic docket successful 1998, lone the U.S. oregon Canada person ever won gold. And six of the 7 gold-medal games successful Olympic past person been betwixt these 2 countries.

Both teams recognize that amended than anyone, but it’s been Canada winning 4 of those six matchups, including the astir caller Olympic Games successful Beijing successful 2022.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Team United States huddles up anterior to the Women's Preliminary Group A lucifer betwixt United States and Canada connected time 4 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games astatine Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena connected Feb. 10, 2026 successful Milan, Italy. (Mike Segar/ Pool)

This clip around, though, it’s Team USA that is the dense favourite to instrumentality location golden erstwhile the puck drops astatine 1:10 p.m. ET successful Milan.

While it was a 3-2 triumph successful 2022 for Team Canada, the U.S. dominated them, 5-0, to decorativeness their preliminary circular games connected Feb. 10.

So, with that successful mind, let’s instrumentality a look astatine however each squad got to the Olympic final, and much importantly, what to expect betwixt these bitter rivals.

TEAM USA WOMEN'S HOCKEY SHUTS OUT SWEDEN, MOVES TO GOLD MEDAL GAME AT WINTER OLYMPICS

OVERWHELMING OPPONENTS

Since touching down successful Milan and hitting the crystal together, it’s been an onslaught of discourtesy for Team USA, and virtually thing from their opponents.

The U.S. has outscored their opponents 31-1 entering Thursday game, tallying astatine slightest 5 goals successful each crippled frankincense far.

Since that past crippled against Canada, Team USA defeated Italy, 6-0, successful the quarterfinal. Then, it was different ascendant show against Sweden successful the semifinal circular connected Monday, 5-0, astatine Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

And it hasn’t conscionable been a fewer Americans who person contributed connected the scoresheet, but 15 full players scoring goals. The puck is being dispersed astir done players similar Alex Carpenter, Coyne Schofield, Laila Edwards, Carolina Harvey and galore more.

Momentum couldn’t beryllium higher for this radical entering the crippled they’ve been waiting for since 2022.

Blayre Turnbull of Team Canada shakes hands with players of Team United States aft the Women's Preliminary Group A lucifer betwixt United States and Canada connected time 4 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games astatine Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena connected Feb. 10, 2026 successful Milan, Italy. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

COOL CANADA

Despite the 5-0 nonaccomplishment to Team USA, this Canadian clump has inactive been a wide favourite successful astir of their games, including a 4-0 last implicit Switzerland to commencement their Olympic journey.

Then, a 5-1 triumph implicit Czechia and 5-0 decorativeness implicit Finland aft the nonaccomplishment to the U.S. had them looking up to a Germany matchup successful the quarterfinal.

It was a 5-1 decorativeness for Team Canada, taking attraction of concern earlier having a tougher clip against Switzerland successful the semifinal. But the crippled was a choky 2-1 triumph for Canada, arsenic they made their mode backmost to the gold-medal crippled with the accidental to support their 2022 title.

TEAM USA PLAYER TO WATCH: CAROLINE HARVEY

For those who haven’t watched the U.S. women’s hockey games frankincense acold successful the Olympics, Harvey volition beryllium a subordinate who instantly stands out. And those who person been pursuing usually can’t hold to spot Harvey’s shifts considering the accomplishment that has been connected show successful Milan.

Harvey, a beardown skater with tremendous instrumentality skills and imaginativeness arsenic a defensewoman, has been getting praise from the men’s hockey team, including Matthew Tkachuk. Harvey is lone 23 years aged and inactive a elder astatine Wisconsin, making her the clear-cut favourite for the No. 1 prime successful the PWHL Draft aboriginal this year.

Harvey leads each players with 9 full points successful the tournament, including an Olympic-high 7 assists. She has tallied 2 goals for a full of 9 points. She besides has a plus-minus of +14 to pb the tourney arsenic well.

While determination are tons of players to ticker for the Stars and Stripes — beryllium connected the lookout for Edwards, Abbey Murphy and Tessa Janecke — Harvey has been axenic amusive to ticker connected the ice.

Caroline Harvey (4) of Team United States celebrates with teammates aft a extremity successful the archetypal play during the Women's Preliminary Group A lucifer betwixt United States and Canada connected time 4 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games astatine Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena connected Feb. 10, 2026, successful Milan, Italy. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

TEAM CANADA PLAYER TO WATCH: MARIE-PHILIP POULIN

Canada’s skipper has shown grit and determination done wounded successful this tournament, battling a close genu wounded that kept her retired against the U.S. past week.

But she was needed successful the pugnacious matchup with Switzerland, burying some of the team’s goals successful the nett to pb the mode to the gold-medal game.

While Canada’s roster has been debated since caput manager Troy Ryan near immoderate of the country’s coagulated young endowment backmost home, it’s been veterans similar Poulin who person acceptable the code adjacent aft decision to the U.S.

There are 16 full players from the 2022 Beijing gold-medal roster that person returned successful 2026 for Team Canada.

TIME TO FIGHT?

It’s nary concealed these 2 teams don’t similar each other, but Team USA was not acrophobic to speech astir the hostility adjacent months earlier the Games.

Multiple stars connected the squad told Fox News Digital they were prepared to driblet gloves if request beryllium against Team Canada if the concern arose.

"They don't similar america precise much," Harvey said successful October 2025. "So, it's much motivating than thing and, personally, it fuels the occurrence and makes america privation to, you know, bushed them much than ever.

Alex Carpenter of Team United States and Blayre Turnbull of Team Canada look disconnected successful the archetypal play during the Women's Preliminary Group A lucifer betwixt United States and Canada connected time 4 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games astatine Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena connected Feb. 10, 2026 successful Milan, Italy. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

"I don't similar them either. They're a respectable competitor, they're truthful good, and ever springiness america specified a hard game, it's truthful back-and-forth. But erstwhile we get successful the vigor of the moment, we conscionable ever combat and don't similar them."

Veteran Brianne Knight added: "I deliberation the U.S.-Canada rivalry volition ever beryllium determination and nary substance however galore different countries are dueling successful the last crippled that U.S.-Canada happening volition ever beryllium special."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

These 2 sides person brawled successful the past, including 1 of the astir iconic fights successful women’s hockey past successful 2013 successful a pre-Olympic accumulation game, wherever 10 warring majors were dished retired aft each presumption subordinate connected the crystal dropped gloves and fought.

A akin concern occurred successful men’s hockey during the 4 Nations Face-off, wherever tensions betwixt the 2 countries were surely heightened past twelvemonth erstwhile President Donald Trump imposed caller tariffs connected the country. But don’t slumber connected tensions spilling implicit into precise carnal moments betwixt these 2 teams connected Thursday.

Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.