Team USA vs. Canada: Three Bold Predictions for Women’s Ice Hockey Gold Medal Game

The U.S. will look to win its third Olympic gold medal in women’s ice hockey on Thursday against Canada.

Team USA’s Caroline Harvey leads all skaters in points at the Milan Cortina Olympics | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

The women’s ice hockey gold medal game at the Milan Cortina Olympics will, unsurprisingly, be between the U.S. and Canada, the two teams who were projected as favorites to reach this stage of the Games.

This is no unfamiliar matchup, either. Since 1998, when women’s ice hockey was first introduced as an Olympic sport, the U.S. and Canada have faced off in the gold medal game six times, with Thursday’s game set to be the seventh. It’s the biggest rivalry in international women’s hockey, and these two sides are plenty familiar with one another.

The U.S. has been historically dominant en route to the final, and they picked up a convincing 5–0 win against Canada in the preliminary round of the Games. That was Team USA’s biggest win ever against their North American rivals, and it was the first time Canada had ever been shutout in an Olympic setting.

Team USA has been unbelievably dominant, carrying a 31–1 goal differential into the gold medal game. None of that will have mattered if they don’t get the job done against Canada on Thursday, though.

Let’s make some bold predictions for the game:

Hilary Knight will score the first goal of the game for Team USA

Hilary Knight needs one goal to make U.S. women’s ice hockey history. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Knight is one goal away from becoming the all-time leading goal scorer in U.S. women’s ice hockey history at the Olympics, and one point away from breaking the all-time points record, too. I think she’ll set that record with the game’s first goal on Thursday.

Knight has 14 goals at the Games in her career, tied with Natalie Darwitz and Katie King for the most in U.S. Olympic history. Her 32 points are also tied for the most of all-time. She’ll be focused on getting a win and securing a gold medal, but I think she’ll have the records in the back of her mind and look to be aggressive in front of the net.

The 36-year-old has five points, including two goals, at the Milan Cortina Olympics. She had an assist against Canada in their meeting in the preliminary rounds, and I’m expecting her to get on the score sheet early with a goal on Thursday to give the U.S. an early lead and etch her place in history.

The U.S. will score two or more goals in every period

Caroline Harvey will look to continue her dominance at the 2026 Winter Olympics | Marton Monus/Reuters via Imagn Images

Not only has the U.S. been formidable defensively, going five games in a row without conceding a single goal––an Olympic record—the offense has also been sensational. Team USA has not been held to less than five goals in a single game in Milan, and I’m expecting their offensive excellency to carry right on over into the gold medal game.

Not only am I predicting the U.S. to rack up six goals against Canada on Thursday, I think they’re going to score at least two goals in every single period of the game. The team put up five goals against Canada in their last meeting, and they’ve looked like a better team throughout the Olympics. With a gold medal at stake, they’ll have their foot on the gas throughout all 60 minutes of the game.

MORE: Full Milan Cortina Olympics Schedule

Team USA will win by at least four goals and secure their third gold medal

The U.S. has out-scored its opponents 31–1 at the Milan Cortina Olympics. | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Team USA hasn’t won a game by less than four goals during their entire stay in Milan. That’s no small feat, and a streak I’m anticipating they will keep alive against a Canada squad that hasn’t been at its sharpest throughout the Games. The U.S. is out-scoring its opponents 31–1, and although the Canada is the other most formidable team in tournament, Team USA made quick work of them in their previous meeting in the preliminary rounds, shutting them out 5–0.

I think the U.S. will handily win this game by a margin of at least four goals, and will do so while surrendering no more than two goals to Canada.

Final score prediction: Team USA 6, Canada 2

---