USA Opens 2026 Olympic Campaign with 5‑1 Win Over Czechia, Historic First Point for Laila Edwards

The United States opened its 2026 Milan‑Cortina Olympic women’s hockey campaign with a 5‑1 win over Czechia on Feb. 5, at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena. Both teams showed they came to compete, but where Team USA brought a structured, possession-heavy game, Czechia leaned into physicality and quick chances, a plan that gave them glimpses of momentum but didn’t yield sustained offensive pressure.

The first goal of the game came late in the first after Alex Carpenter tipped Megan Keller's shot home on the power play. The goal revealed how the U.S. wanted to establish itself early on: move the puck quickly, create space in the slot, and force the goalie to react under traffic. More importantly, Laila Edwards' assist on that goal defined a moment for USA hockey, marking her first Olympic point and the first Olympic point by a Black woman for USA Hockey.

Early in the second, Joy Dunne scored her first goal in her Olympic debut off a pass from Tessa Janecke. Eighty-three seconds later, Hayley Scamurra beat Czechia's goalkeeper, assisted again by Janecke, to make it 3-0. Team USA did what it does best and their quick puck movement and aggressive net-front presence kept Czechia pressured to their own zone until 19-year-old Barbora Juříčková sped out of the penalty box and scored Czechia's lone goal of the game on a breakaway.

Team USA Captain Hilary Knight wouldn't be left out of the action. Knight, on her fifth and final Olympics, tallied her 13th career Olympic goal, assisted by her Seattle Torrent teammates, Carpenter and Hanna Bilka. Knight is now one goal away from tying Katie King and Natalie Darwitz for most Olympics goals in U.S. women's hockey history.

The Bilka-Knight-Carpenter line entered the Olympics battle-tested from the PWHL season and the 2025 Rivalry Series; the line began building chemistry during their wins against Team Canada before becoming a staple on Seattle’s top unit generating sustained scoring chances, multi-point games, and power-play opportunities that built the chemistry and high-tempo decision-making they brought to the Olympic ice.

The third period saw the U.S. add an insurance goal from Scamurra and a final shot total of 42-14.

Czechia, only on its second Olympic appearance after debuting in Beijing 2022, is still carving its Olympic presence. They have the physical play and opportunistic chances necessary to score as Juříčková demonstrated, but Team USA pressure kept them in their own zone without any effective breakout options. Czechia goaltender Klára Peslarová's also faced a heavy workload, and her resilience in making numerous key saves kept her team in striking distance. That said, few teams get control of Olympic puck possession against a top‑ranked opponent without turning some heads.

The Rest of the Day 1 Games

Sweden 4, Germany 1

Sweden came from behind to beat Germany 4‑1 in their opening women’s preliminary round game. Germany took an early lead with a power‑play goal before Lina Ljungblom scored twice, and Mira Jungaker and Thea Johansson added goals as Sweden finished with a 4‑1 final. Sweden outshot Germany by a wide margin.

Italy 4, France 1

Host nation Italy celebrated a milestone as the home crowd watched the team secure its first Olympic women’s hockey victory with a 4‑1 win over France. Italy scored consistently across all periods, generating a high volume of shots and capitalizing on opportunities, while France managed a first‑period goal but couldn’t keep pace as Italy’s attack found rhythm.

Canada vs Finland - Postponed

The scheduled matchup between Canada and Finland was postponed when a norovirus outbreak left the Finnish roster too depleted to play, with more than a dozen players quarantined. The game has been rescheduled for February 12, giving both teams additional time to regroup before continuing their Olympic tournament schedules.

Feb. 6 Games

🇫🇷 France vs. 🇯🇵 Japan starts at 6:10 a.m. ET

🇨🇿 Czechia vs.🇨🇭 Switzerland at 8:40 a.m. ET.

Game to Watch: Czechia vs. Switzerland; Czechia is looking to rebound after its opening loss and will aim for its first points of the tournament. Switzerland will test them with a disciplined defensive game and opportunistic transitions, and the outcome could have early implications for Group A standings as teams jockey for quarterfinal positioning.