The Women’s Ice Hockey Tournament at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will conclude on Thursday with 39 PWHL players competing for gold and six PWHL players in the bronze medal game. Below is a closer look at the action ahead.
THURSDAY’S FINAL SCHEDULE
GOLD MEDAL GAME, 1:10 P.M. ET: UNITED STATES VS. CANADA
BRONZE MEDAL GAME, 8:40 A.M. ET: SWITZERLAND VS. SWEDEN
CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL SCHEDULE AND BROADCAST DETAILS
ULTIMATE WATCH PARTIES BRING PWHL FANS CLOSER TO THE OLYMPIC ACTION
PWHL fans can watch their favorite Team Canada and Team USA players compete in the gold medal game at various watch parties hosted by PWHL teams.
CLICK HERE FOR WATCH PARTY DETAILS
OLYMPIC HISTORY
Thursday will be the seventh time in Olympic women’s ice hockey history where gold will be decided between Canada and the United States. The Canadians have won four of their five gold medals against the Americans, with the U.S. emerging victorious twice. Four of the six games have been decided by one goal, each by 3-2 scores, with one going to overtime and one to shootout. Sweden and Switzerland both have one bronze medal each and last went head-to-head in 2014. Here’s a closer look at the history of gold and bronze medal games at the Olympics.
BEIJING 2022
GOLD: CANADA (3) VS. UNITED STATES (2)
Montréal captain Marie-Philip Poulin scored her third Olympic gold medal game-winning goal and added two assists to lift Canada to a fifth Olympic gold triumph. Vancouver’s Sarah Nurse scored the opening goal and set an Olympic tournament record with 18 points, and Ottawa captain Brianne Jenner had the primary assist on the winning goal and earned Tournament MVP honors after tying the Olympic record for goals in a single tournament with nine. Victoire goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens made 38 saves, with one of the U.S. goals scored shorthanded by Seattle captain Hilary Knight.
BRONZE: FINLAND (4) VS. SWITZERLAND (0)
Boston’s Susanna Tapani and Vancouver’s Michelle Karvinen both scored goals and Ottawa’s Ronja Savolainen picked up an assist to lead Finland to a second straight bronze medal.
PYEONGCHANG 2018
GOLD: UNITED STATES (3) VS. CANADA (2) SO
Minnesota’s Maddie Rooney made 29 saves and turned aside four of six shootout attempts to secure the second gold medal in U.S. Olympic women’s hockey history. Knight scored the first U.S. goal and Minnesota’s Kelly Pannek assisted on the game-tying tally late in the third period. Poulin and Haley Irwin, now an assistant coach with Ottawa, scored for Canada. Canadian Mélodie Daoust, who played the inaugural season with Montréal, earned MVP honors.
BRONZE: FINLAND (3) VS. OAR (2)
Tapani scored a goal and an assist and Karvinen picked up a helper to secure the third of four all-time Olympic bronze medals for Finland.
SOCHI 2014
GOLD: CANADA (3) VS. UNITED STATES (2) OT
Poulin scored twice, including the overtime winner, to lead Canada to a fourth straight Olympic gold. Jenner scored in regulation, with U.S. goals tallied by Seattle’s Alex Carpenter and Meghan Duggan, PWHL Special Consultant to Hockey Operations. PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Jayna Hefford and Hayley Wickenheiser earned their fifth Olympic medals and, alongside Montréal Assistant Coach Caroline Ouellette, became the first hockey players to win four Olympic gold medals.
BRONZE: SWITZERLAND (4) VS. SWEDEN (3)
Boston’s Alina Müller recorded two points, including the winning goal to make history as the youngest player in women’s hockey history to win an Olympic medal at age 15. Goaltender Florence Schelling, co-host of the PWHL’s Jocks Next Gen podcast, earned Tournament MVP honors as Switzerland won its first-ever Olympic medal.
VANCOUVER 2010
GOLD: CANADA (2) VS. UNITED STATES (0)
Poulin, at age 18, capped her first of five Olympic appearances by scoring both of Canada’s goals in the first of what will be four straight gold medal matchups against the U.S. The only shutout in Olympic gold medal game history was recorded by Shannon Szabados, and MVP honors went to fellow Canadian Meghan Agosta who led the tournament with 15 points in five games.
BRONZE: FINLAND (3) VS. SWEDEN (2) OT
Karvinen, also playing in her first of five Olympics for Finland, scored to earn her first of three career bronze medals.
TORINO 2006
GOLD: CANADA (4) VS. SWEDEN (1)
Hefford scored and set up Ouellette for the winning goal in the only Olympic gold medal game that has not featured both Canada and the United States. Vancouver Player Development Consultant Charline Labonté was the winning goaltender, and Wickenheiser earned her first of two consecutive MVP honors with 17 points in five games.
BRONZE: UNITED STATES (4) VS. FINLAND (0)
Katie (King) Crowley scored a hat-trick to lead the U.S. to its first and only bronze medal in Olympic history.
SALT LAKE 2002
GOLD: CANADA (3) VS. UNITED STATES (2)
Hefford scored the winning goal, assisted by PWHL Broadcast Analyst Becky Kellar, to secure Canada’s first Olympic gold. Ouellette scored Canada’s first goal and Kim St-Pierre, Montréal Director of Business Operations, earned the win between the pipes.
BRONZE: SWEDEN (2) VS. FINLAND (1)
Evelina Samuelsson scored twice to secure Sweden’s first and only bronze medal in Olympic history.
NAGANO 1998
GOLD: UNITED STATES (3) VS. CANADA (1)
Sandra Whyte scored a goal and two assists to lead the U.S. to victory and a perfect 6-0 record in the first-ever Olympic women’s ice hockey tournament.
BRONZE: FINLAND (4) VS. CHINA (1)
Riikka Nieminen scored a goal and an assist for Finland and led the first-ever Olympic tournament in scoring with 12 points in six games. Tuula Puputti, Toronto Sceptres Director of Hockey Operations, earned the win in goal.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…
- ESPN – USA vs. Canada is the women’s Olympic hockey rematch everyone was waiting for
- The Athletic – As U.S. women’s hockey enters gold medal game, Hilary Knight prepares for Olympic farewell
- Olympics – Winter Olympics 2026 – Marie-Philip Poulin exclusive: “I’ve become myself with hockey”
- CBC – Heart, work and desperation: What an underdog Canadian team needs to do to win Olympic gold
- Breakaway on SI – USA Going for Gold Proves Women’s Hockey Here to Stay
JOCKS IN JILLS
The latest episode of Jocks in Jills, filmed in Milan, dropped this afternoon, starting by previewing the bronze medal game by discussing Sweden’s rise in the ranks, Alina Müller’s continued impact for Switzerland in her fourth Olympics, and the game’s key goaltending matchup. Tessa and Julia were then joined by three-time Olympic medalist — and captain of the 2018 gold medal–winning Team USA — Meghan Duggan, now a PWHL Special Consultant to Hockey Operations, to preview the gold medal showdown between Canada and the USA. She reflected on the journeys of both teams throughout the tournament, discussing the legacy and final Olympic appearance of former teammate and current Team USA captain Hilary Knight and provided keys to the game for both teams. Check out the episode on the PWHL’s YouTube Channel ahead of Thursday’s medal games to hear the discussions — including final score predictions for the gold medal game from Tessa, Julia and Duggan.
Up next: Tune into the final live reaction episode of Jocks in Jills in Milan following Thursday’s gold medal game, as Tessa and Julia break down the results of both medal matchups. Catch the episode on the PWHL YouTube channel and join the conversation by dropping your questions in the live chat during the show.
Jocks in Jills is regularly sharing content from Milano Cortina 2026, featuring behind-the-scenes moments, special cameos and as-they-happen updates. Stay updated on the latest from The Winter Olympics by following Jocks in Jills’ official social channels (@jocksinjills).
FUTURE PWHL STARS?
Seven players competing in Thursday’s medal games are currently in their senior seasons of collegiate hockey, including four of the tournament’s top 10 scorers, and would be among the top prospects should they declare for the 2026 PWHL Draft.
- Caroline Harvey (USA/Wisconsin): 2-7—9 PTS
- Laila Edwards (USA/Wisconsin): 2-5—7 PTS
- Abbey Murphy (USA/Minnesota): 2-5—7 PTS
- Thea Johansson (SWE/Minnesota-Duluth): 4-2—6 PTS
- Tessa Janecke (USA/Penn State): 0-5—5 PTS
- Josefin Bouveng (SWE/Minnesota): 1-1—2 PTS
- Kirsten Simms (USA/Wisconsin): 1-0—1 PTS
Three collegiate players won Olympic gold with Canada in 2022 before joining the PWHL: Vancouver captain Ashton Bell (Minnesota-Duluth), New York’s Sarah Fillier (Princeton) and Toronto’s Emma Maltais (Ohio State).
TOMORROW IN OLYMPIC HISTORY
On Feb. 19, 2018, both Canada (against Olympic Athletes from Russia) and the United States (against Finland) earned 5-0 semifinal shutouts to set up a gold medal matchup in PyeongChang. Minnesota’s Maddie Rooney backstopped the U.S. to victory, PWHL Broadcast Analyst Gigi Marvin scored the winning goal, and Seattle captain Hilary Knight scored one of her 14 career goals. Ottawa’s Emily Clark scored her first career Olympic goal and Montréal captain Marie-Philip Poulin scored one of her 20 career goals for Canada.
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