The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 are underway, and the U.S. women’s ice hockey team began their competition with a decisive 5-1 victory over Czechia on Thursday, February 5th, at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena.
A Strong Start for the Stars and Stripes
Team USA’s opening goal came just 31 seconds into the first period, scored by Alex Carpenter on a power play. This marked Carpenter’s ninth career Olympic goal and her first at the Milano Cortina 2026 games. Megan Keller and Laila Edwards assisted on the play.
Hayley Scamurra extended the lead in the second period, scoring after a pass from Tessa Janecke. Shortly after, Joy Dunne scored her first Olympic goal in her first Olympic game, also assisted by Janecke. Barbora Jurickova responded for Czechia, scoring after receiving a pass from Natalie Mlynkova.
Knight’s Historic Pursuit
Hilary Knight, who has announced these will be her fifth and final Olympic Games, added to the U.S. tally in the second period. Assisted by Carpenter and Hannah Bilka, Knight now has 13 career Olympic goals – just one shy of a three-way tie with Katie King and Natalie Darwitz for the most Olympic goals in U.S. women’s Olympic history.
Scamurra completed the scoring with her second goal of the night, assisted by PyeongChang 2018 Olympic champion Kelly Pannek. Following the game, Scamurra told Olympics.com, “It was incredible, honestly…I think we transmuted that pretty quickly, and we had a really solid game.”
The Czech team, featuring eight players from the Professional Women’s Hockey League, doubled their shot total in the second period despite falling behind.
Looking Ahead
The United States women’s team is next scheduled to face Finland on Saturday, February 7th, in Group A play. Czechia will compete against Switzerland on Friday, February 6th. The outcome of these games could significantly impact each team’s positioning within the group as the tournament progresses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who scored the first goal for Team USA?
Alex Carpenter scored the first goal for Team USA 31 seconds into the first period.
How many goals did Hilary Knight score in this game?
Hilary Knight scored one goal in this game, bringing her career Olympic goal total to 13.
When will Czechia play their next game?
Czechia will play Switzerland on Friday, February 6th.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge for Team USA as they continue through the Olympic tournament?