U.S. and Canada Women's Hockey Teams Renew Storied Olympic Rivalry

The two powerhouses will face off in the preliminary round and potentially the gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The U.S. and Canadian women's hockey teams will resume their long-standing rivalry at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. The two teams have met in the gold medal game in all but one Olympics since the sport debuted in 1998, with Canada leading the all-time series 106-86-1. Team USA is the defending gold medalist from the 2025 World Championship and has won the last six matchups between the rivals.

Why it matters

The U.S.-Canada women's hockey rivalry is considered one of the best in all of sports, with the two North American powerhouses battling for Olympic gold in all but one Games since the sport's debut. Their matchups are always highly anticipated, intense, and often physical, as both teams are driven to come out on top in this storied clash.

The details

The teams' most recent meeting was in December 2025, when the U.S. won 4-1 in the Rivalry Series. Overall, the U.S. has won the last six matchups, outscoring Canada 24-7. The two squads are undefeated in group play so far at the 2026 Olympics, setting up a potential gold medal game showdown after their preliminary round clash on February 10.

  • The U.S. and Canada will face off in the preliminary round of the 2026 Olympics on February 10 (1:10 p.m. local time).
  • The two teams have met in the gold medal game in all but one Olympics since women's hockey debuted at the 1998 Nagano Games.
  • The last three Olympic gold medal matchups between the U.S. and Canada were in 2022 (Canada won 3-2), 2018 (U.S. won 3-2 in a shootout), and 2014 (Canada won 3-2 in overtime).

The players

Kendall Coyne Schofield

A self-proclaimed "lover, not a fighter," Coyne Schofield is the captain of the U.S. team and is headed to her fourth Olympics.

Hilary Knight

The veteran U.S. forward is playing in her fifth and final Olympics.

Lee Stecklein

The Roseville, Minnesota native and U.S. defender is playing in her fourth Olympics.

Abbey Murphy

The University of Minnesota star and current U.S. forward is known for her physical, skilled play.

Jamie Lee Rattray

The Canadian forward was involved in a scuffle with Abbey Murphy at the 2021 World Championship.

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What they’re saying

“Even as we have our league and you play with Canadians a lot of times ... when you get out there and you're wearing those [USA and Canada] jerseys, there's just something different.”

— Lee Stecklein, U.S. defender

“You go there to win a gold medal. That's the goal when you get on the plane.”

— Kendall Coyne Schofield, U.S. captain

“When you play a bracket sport like at the Olympics, it feels like you're losing the gold medal instead of winning a silver.”

— Lee Stecklein, U.S. defender

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This rivalry between the U.S. and Canada is considered one of the best in all of sports, with the two North American powerhouses battling for Olympic gold in nearly every Games since 1998. Their matchups are always highly anticipated, intense, and often physical, as both teams are driven to come out on top in this storied clash.