The highly anticipated final for the women's hockey Olympic gold medal will feature a classic clash between the United States and Canada. Since the inclusion of women's hockey in the Olympics in 1998, only these two nations have secured gold medals, with Canada currently holding the advantage with four wins over the U.S. in the six gold medal matches played historically. Their last encounter was at the Beijing 2022 Olympics, where Canada triumphed with a narrow 3-2 victory.

As the stage is set for the final showdown at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, Team USA is entering the game as the favorite, buoyed by a decisive 5-0 victory against Canada in their preliminary round match. The U.S. team has displayed strong performance throughout the tournament and is eager to claim gold for the first time since 2018. The rivalry between these teams adds an extra level of excitement and intensity to the match-up, with players and fans alike aware of the significance that this final holds in terms of national pride and sporting legacy.

Looking ahead to the final, both teams will need to focus on strategy, swift plays, and maintaining composure under pressure to secure a win. As they prepare for the game on Thursday at 1:10 PM ET, all eyes will be on the ice to see if Team USA can reclaim the title from their rivals and finally break Canada’s recent winning streak in Olympic finals.