USA crushes Sweden to reach women’s hockey gold medal game

Feb. 16 (UPI) — Team USA started slow, but attacked in the second period, obliterating Sweden to reach the 2026 Winter Olympics gold medal match Monday in Milan.

With the 5-0 shutout, the Americans also extended the longest shutout streak in Olympics history to 331:23 of on-action action, including five shutouts. Team USA outshot the Swedes 13-2 through the first 20 minutes of the semifinal, but led just 1-0 to start the second period.

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The Americans were outshot 13-11 in the bridge frame, but used four goals — including three in a stretch of less than three minutes — to break the game open. Balance was the key in the momentum switch, with five different players scoring in the victory.

“After the first, we came in and thought we have a little bit more to give,” forward Taylor Heise, who scored the first goal of the second period, told NBC.

The Americans, who outshot opponents 31-1 through their first six appearances of the 2026 Winter Olympics, will face Canada or Switzerland on Thursday in the gold medal game.

Defenseman Cayla Barnes started the scoring when she beat Swedish goalie Ebba Svensson Traff 5:09 into the semifinal. Kelly Pannek and Lee Stecklein assisted that score.

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Abbey Murphy and Hannah Bilka assisted Heise for a 2-0 lead about 11 minutes into the second period. Murphy, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Hayley Scamurra then combined to score three times in 2:47 to break the game open.

Bilka, who logged two assists, was one of 13 Americans to log a point in the victory. Team USA goalie Aerin Frankel totaled 21 saves.

Canada will meet Switzerland will face off in the second semifinal at 3:10 p.m. EST Monday in Milan. The women’s hockey gold medal game will be at 1:10 p.m. EST Thursday at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. The game will air on USA Network.