🇺🇸 United States 5-0 Finland 🇫🇮
Olympic Preliminary Round
Fiera Milano Rho, Milan 🇮🇹
Saturday, 07 February 2026

Elite speed and skill propelled the U.S. to a 5-0 victory over Finland on Saturday and a perfect 2-0 record in Group A.

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.

“She continues to hit milestone after milestone,” U.S. blueliner Cayla Barnes said of Knight. “No surprise there. One of the best people and players I’ve ever had the privilege to play with. So I’m just happy for her and we’ll be on the watch for her to break that record.”

Top defender Megan Keller stepped up with a goal and two assists. Taylor Heise and Abbey Murphy chipped in a goal and an assist apiece, and Alex Carpenter also scored for the Americans. The U.S. power play clicked twice. After starting off with a 5-1 win over the Czechs, coach John Wroblewski’s squad continues to burnish its reputation as the Gold medal favourites.

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 gap here is considerable.

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, who has played two games this year as a rookie, battled bravely all night for Finland.

Saturday’s game became Finland’s first game after its originally scheduled opener versus Canada on 05 February was postponed to 12 February due to team illness. Fortunately, the Finns were able to ice a full roster.

“We were just really happy to play,” said Finnish forward Emma Nuutinen. “We got a full roster, so we were just super-excited. And even though we had a rough start, we were just focusing on the game and doing our best today.”

All things considered, Finland came out with surprising energy and competitiveness. Still, the best early chance went to U.S. forward Tessa Janecke, who hit the post on a one-timer on her team’s first power play.

When Susanna Tapani took Finland’s second penalty, Carpenter promptly cashed in with her second goal of these Olympics. The American veteran sniped a Laila Edwards set-up from the left faceoff circle over Ahola’s right shoulder for a 1-0 lead at 15:19. Carpenter is seeking her first Olympic title after not being included on the 2018 PyeongChang Gold medal team.

“I think it’s really important for this team to get a good early start,” Carpenter said. “We feed off of that, and our game keeps improving after that.”

Seconds later, Frankel stymied an onrushing Petra Nieminen on a golden chance in close. Ahola had to stay dialed in as shots favoured the U.S. 15-4 through 20 minutes and there was traffic aplenty around her crease.

The U.S. took full command in the second period. At 2:31, Heise made it 2-0 with her first Olympic goal, finishing off a beautiful 3-on-1 rush with linemates Abbey Murphy and Britta Curl.

Just 1:06 later, Keller pinched in from the left side, stickhandled along the goal line, and deposited a backhand through Ahola’s pads.

“Throughout the PWHL and obviously here, she is lighting a fire in our offence,” Barnes said of Keller. “She’s getting shots through. A huge spark for us.”

At 9:17, Knight made it 4-0 on a 5-on-4 with Finland’s Ronja Savolainen off for holding. The all-time IIHF Women’s World Championship scoring leader pivoted down low and beat Ahola high on the short side.

Heise also hailed Knight: “She’s a silent force for us. She doesn’t have to say too much. And it’s not a farewell to her, because I do think she has more (to give). Regardless of whether she says it’s her last (Olympics) here, I think she’s gonna have much more in the hockey world that comes about afterwards.”

In the third period, the U.S. played a mature defensive game, and Murphy rounded out the scoring on a rebound with 4:04 remaining.

The Finns are back in action against Czechia on Sunday, while the U.S. battles Switzerland on Monday.

The U.S. owns two Olympic Gold medals (1998, 2018). Finland has earned four Olympic Bronze medals (1998, 2010, 2018, 2022), but never made the final.

The Americans have won all 11 Olympic meetings with Finland dating back to the inaugural 1998 Olympic women’s hockey tournament. Finland’s best Women’s Worlds performance ever versus the U.S. was a dramatic 2-1 shootout loss in the 2019 final in Espoo.

Finnish captain Michelle Karvinen and iconic defender Jenni Hiirikoski are participating in their fifth Olympics, tying a record shared by multiple players. The all-time Olympic games-played record is 29, held by Switzerland’s Nicole Bullo. Hiirikoski and Karvinen sit at 25 games apiece, putting them within striking distance.

“It’s my fifth Olympic Games, and it feels exactly the same as the first one,” Hiirikoski said. “I’m really proud to have this lion jersey.”

BOXSCORE
1st Period
05:41 – 🇫🇮 PEN – Karvinen, holding
15:12 – 🇫🇮 PEN – Tapani, hooking
15:19 – 🇺🇸 PP GOAL – Carpenter (Edwards, Keller)

2nd Period
22:31 – 🇺🇸 GOAL – Heise (Murphy, Curl)
23:37 – 🇺🇸 GOAL – Keller
28:24 – 🇫🇮 PEN – Savolainen, holding
29:17 – 🇺🇸 PP GOAL – Knight (Edwards, Keller)
31:11 – 🇫🇮 PEN – Hiirikoski, tripping

3rd Period
41:29 – 🇫🇮 PEN – Nieminen, tripping
44:01 – 🇫🇮 PEN – Tulus, hooking
55:56 – 🇺🇸 GOAL – Murphy (Curl, Harvey)

GOALTENDERS
W: 🇺🇸 Frankel (11-11)
L: 🇫🇮 Ahola (44-49)

SHOTS ON GOAL
🇺🇸 15+21+13 = 49
🇫🇮 4+5+2 = 11

ROSTERS
🇺🇸 Goaltenders: Aerin Frankel, Gwyneth Philips. Defence: Cayla Barnes, Laila Edwards, Rory Guilday, Caroline Harvey, Megan Keller (A), Lee Stecklein, Haley Winn. Forwards: Hannah Bilka, Alex Carpenter (A), Kendall Coyne, Britta Curl, Joy Dunne, Taylor Heise, Tessa Janecke, Hilary Knight (C), Abbey Murphy, Kelly Pannek, Hayley Scamurra, Kirsten Simms, Grace Zumwinkle.
🇫🇮 Goaltenders: Sanni Ahola, Anni Keisala. Defence: Jenni Hiirikoski, Sini Karjalainen, Nelli Laitinen (A), Sanni Rantala, Ronja Savolainen (A), Elli Suoranta, Siiri Yrjölä. Forwards: Elisa Holopainen, Michelle Karvinen (C), Ida Kuoppala, Julia Liikala, Petra Nieminen, Emma Nuutinen, Jenniina Nylund, Julia Schalin, Susanna Tapani, Noora Tulus, Viivi Vainikka, Sanni Vanhanen, Emilia Vesa.

Article Credit: Milan 2026
Photo Credit: Milan 2026 – IIHF – HHOF – IOC