MILAN, Italy — The U.S. women’s hockey team defeated Finland 5-0 Saturday, Feb. 7, to improve to 2-0 in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Captain and five-time Olympian Hilary Knight scored to equal the all-time U.S. Olympic goals record (14), which she shares with Katie King and Natalie Darwitz.
Defender Megan Keller had a goal and two assists for Team USA. Taylor Heise and Abbey Murphy had a goal and an assist apiece and Alex Carpenter also scored for the Americans. Team USA scored two power-play goals.
The reigning world champion U.S. earned the silver medal at the 2022 Olympics behind Canada. Finland took the bronze both in Beijing and at last year’s IIHF Women’s World Championship.
The U.S. outshot Finland, 49-11, in a showdown between two PWHL netminders. The Boston Fleet’s Aerin Frankel, who shares the PWHL lead with nine wins, recorded her first Olympic shutout. The Ottawa Charge’s
Sanni Ahola, a St. Cloud State graduate,
had 44 saves for Finland.
Former SCSU forward Jenniina Nylund and
SCSU sophomore defender Siiri Yrjölä
also played for Finland.
It was the first Olympic game for Finland. On Thursday, 10 Finnish players — eight skaters and two goalies — were available to skate, with 13 others either sick or in quarantine due to exposure. On Saturday afternoon, Finland had 22 players — everyone but No. 3 goalie Emilia Kyrkkö — dressed against the Americans.
Kyrkkö is a sophomore for St. Cloud State.
Germany scored three first-period goals and chased Japanese starting goalie Miyuu Masuhara en route to a 5-2 win on Saturday in Group B action. It’s Germany’s first win of the Olympics.
Assistant captain Laura Kluge, a former St. Cloud State player, had a goal and three assists for Germany. Nicole Hadraschek had two goals and an assist, captain Daria Gleissner and Emily Nix had a goal and an assist apiece for Germany.
SCSU senior forward Svenja Voigt
also played for Germany.
Sarah Fillier and Daryl Watts both had a goal and an assist and Emerance Maschmeyer stopped all six shots she faced to lead Canada to the win.
SCSU junior forward Laura Zimmermann
played for Switzerland.
In the other game Saturday, and Sweden defeated Italy, 6-1.
