U.S. and Canada Women's Hockey Teams Advance to Anticipated Olympic Final

Eileen Gu goes for gold in women's freeski big air final

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The U.S. and Canadian women's hockey teams have advanced to the anticipated gold medal match at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Meanwhile, American freestyle skier Eileen Gu will compete in the women's freeski big air final, despite her concerns about the schedule clashing with training for her other events.

Why it matters

The U.S. and Canada have long dominated women's Olympic hockey, with their matchup in the gold medal game being a highly anticipated event. Gu's performance in the freeski big air final is also significant, as she is one of the biggest stars of these Olympics and is looking to add to her medal haul.

The details

The U.S. women's hockey team defeated Sweden in the semifinal, while Canada beat Switzerland, setting up the expected gold medal showdown between the North American rivals. In the freeski big air final, Eileen Gu will compete despite her concerns about the schedule conflicting with training for her other events.

  • The U.S. and Canada women's hockey semifinal games took place on February 16, 2026.
  • The women's freeski big air final is scheduled for February 16, 2026.

The players

U.S. Women's Hockey Team

The U.S. women's hockey team is one of the dominant forces in the sport, having won four gold medals and one silver medal in the last six Olympic Games.

Canadian Women's Hockey Team

The Canadian women's hockey team is also a powerhouse, having won four gold medals and one silver medal in the last six Olympic Games.

Eileen Gu

Eileen Gu is an American-born freestyle skier who competes for China. She is one of the biggest stars of the Milan Cortina Olympics, having already won a gold medal in the women's freeski slopestyle event.

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What they’re saying

“The way you think about Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, (if) you put all their careers in a bottle — Mik has stats that can beat all of them.”

— Nick Page, American mogul skier (The Athletic)

“To lose someone I'm so close to and then be expected to go and ski at the Olympics, it's felt impossible.”

— Atle Lie McGrath (The Athletic)

What’s next

The gold medal game between the U.S. and Canada women's hockey teams is expected to take place later this week.

The takeaway

The highly anticipated matchup between the U.S. and Canada women's hockey teams in the Olympic final highlights the continued dominance of these two North American powerhouses in the sport. Meanwhile, Eileen Gu's performance in the freeski big air final will be closely watched as she looks to add to her medal haul at these Games.