The U.S. women's hockey team has failed to defend its Olympic gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Games. In a rematch of the PyeongChang 2018 gold-medal game, Canada collected a 3-2 victory over the Americans.
Marie-Philip Poulin spearheaded Canada's winning effort. The two-time gold medalist scored two goals and assisted on the game's first score. She now has seven goals in four career Olympic gold-medal games and is the only hockey player – men's or women's – to score in four separate Olympic gold-medal games.
Canada ran out to a 2-0 lead in the first period and never looked back. Sarah Nurse scored the game's first goal 7:50 into the game, less than a minute after another goal from teammate Natalie Spooner was nullified by an offsides call. Poulin – who along with Claire Thompson assisted on Nurse's goal – added another score before the period closed.
The U.S. made the game interesting late in the second period, though. Hilary Knight, Team USA's oldest player at age 32, scored a short-handed goal with less than two minutes remaining to cut Canada's lead to two. Hannah Brandt assisted on the play.
With 12.5 remaining and Canada leading by two, Team USA's Amanda Kessel scored to make the final score 3-2.
Canada looked unstoppable for much of the gold-medal game, and that's been the case for much of these Olympics. The Canadians came into the contest as the only undefeated squad in Beijing, plus their 54 goals led the field and were nearly double than the Americans' second-place total of 28. Canada also defeated the U.S., 4-2, in group play earlier in the Olympics
Both teams thoroughly impressed en route to the gold-medal game. The U.S. beat Finland, 4-1, while the Canadians rolled to a 11-0 victory over Sweden in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Team USA added another 4-1 victory, this one over Finland, while Canada reached double digits again in a 10-3 win over Switzerland.
Canada has now won four of its six gold-medal games against the U.S. The Canadians own five of the seven Olympic women's hockey gold medals overall, adding silver medals in '98 and 2018.
This is Team USA's fourth Olympic women's hockey silver medal, the most of any country.
The U.S. and Canada will drop the puck in just over an hour for the 2022 Beijing Olympics women's hockey final. These teams have an extensive history in the Olympics, battling in five of the six gold-medal games since the sport's introduction in 1998. Canada has won three of the five matchups, but the U.S. took home gold in PyeongChang 2018.
Amanda Kessel scores Team USA's second goal of the game with 12.5 remaining, but it may be too little, too late. Canada still leads by one.
The U.S. has its last power play after Marie-Philip Poulin enters the penalty box with a tripping call. Last chance for the Americans.
With 3:08 remaining, the U.S. pulled its goaltender to add another skater. Empty-net opportunity for the Canadians.
Team USA fails to convert on the power play again. The U.S. has had plenty of chances this game, outshooting Canada 32-20, but has yet to break through. Canada still leads, 3-1.
The U.S. gets another power-play opportunity thanks to a hooking call on Canada's Jocelyn Larocque.
The third period is now underway. Time to see if Team USA can fight its way back into this game.
Team USA still trails Canada heading into the third period, but it added its first goal in the second thanks to Hilary Knight. The U.S. has seven more shots on goal than Canada, and it will look to translate that aggressiveness to the scoreboard in the third and final period.
Team USA scores its first goal of the game in short-handed fashion. Hilary Knight got her shot blocked, but she recollected the puck and shot once again, that time getting it past goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens. The U.S. now trails Canada 3-1 with less than two minutes to go in the second period.
Canada gets on the power play once again after Megan Keller gets called for holding. Neither team has converted a power play yet.
The U.S. fails to convert on the power play.
Canada's Jocelyn Larocque gets two minutes for holding. The U.S. now has a crucial opportunity on the power play here, down 3-0, with 8:32 to go.
Marie-Philip Poulin adds to her extraordinary night with her second goal, extending Canada's lead to 3-0. She assisted on the game's third goal. The U.S. has a little over 30 minutes to climb back into this game.
The second period is now underway. Team USA is looking to get back on track after falling behind 2-0 in the first.
We're through one in Beijing, and Team USA is showing more life than the score indicates. Canada and the U.S. both have 11 shots on goal but the former leads 2-0. Canada's Marie-Philip Poulin has a goal and an assist thus far.
Team USA completes a big penalty kill.
Team USA's Kendall Schofield gets two minutes for delay of game. Canada, which is leading 2-0, is now on the power play with just over four minutes left in the first period.
Canada strikes again. Marie-Philip Poulin fires the puck past a pair of U.S. defenders for her second point of the game, extending her team's lead to two.
And just 45 seconds after Canada's score is disallowed, it scores once again off a faceoff. Sarah Nurse made the play while Claire Thompson and Marie-Philip Poulin assisted.
The Americans' challenge is successful, taking Canada's score off the board. Still a 0-0 game.
Canada opens the scoring less than eight minutes into the game courtesy of a goal from Natalie Spooner. The U.S. is challenging the play for offsides.
