MILAN — The U.S. women’s hockey team’s pursuit for its first Olympic gold medal since 2018 begins Thursday with a preliminary matchup against Czechia to open the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games.
The U.S. women won silver at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, but are clear favorites to claim gold after winning a World Championship title in April and sweeping Canada in the 2025 Rivalry Series in December to close out the year. Meanwhile, Czechia is looking for its first podium finish at the Winter Games.
Veteran forward Hilary Knight is set to become the first U.S. hockey player, male or female, to appear in five Olympics. She was named team captain in what will mark her final Games and more history is on the line — Knight is three goals away from becoming the U.S. women’s all-time leading Olympic scorer.
The American women are the top seed in Group A, which also features reigning Olympic champion Canada, 2022 Beijing Olympic bronze medalist Finland, Switzerland and Czechia. Group B features Japan, Sweden, Germany, Italy and France.
USA TODAY is providing live updates from the USA vs. Czechia Olympic women’s hockey game. Follow along:
Midway through first period
Shots remain 5-1 USA.
USA controlling play early
USA gets the first five shots. Czechia gets its first shot more than seven minutes into the game.
Game underway
USA’s Aerin Frankel vs. CZE’s Klara Peslarova in net.
When is U.S. women’s hockey vs. Czechia?
All times Eastern Time
The U.S. women’s national hockey team takes the ice against Czechia on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 10:40 a.m. at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena.
How to watch U.S. women’s hockey vs. Czechia?
Date: Thursday, Feb. 5
Time: 10:40 a.m. ET
Location: Rho Ice Hockey Arena (Milan)
TV channel: USA Network
Streaming options: NBCOlympics.com | NBC Olympic App | Peacock
Goaltending matchup
USA’s Aerin Frankel vs. CZE’s Klara Peslarova
Team USA women’s hockey lines
Forwards Hannah Bilka, Alex Carpenter and Hilary Knight are on the first line for Thursday’s matchup against Czechia, a slight changeup from the 2025 Rivalry Series, where Tessa Janecke was on the starting line alongside Carpenter and Knight in four consecutive games. On defense, Megan Keller and Laila Edwards are on the first pairing.
The second line features forwards Britta Curl-Salemme, Taylor Heise and Abbey Murphy, in addition to defenders Caroline Harvey and Haley Winn.
USA vs Czechia Olympic history
The two teams have met once in the Olympics, in the 2022 quarterfinals in Beijing. Czechia scored the opening goal, but the Americans rallied to win 4-1.
12 U.S. players making Olympic debut
More than half of the U.S. women’s national hockey team is set to make their Olympic debut in Thursday’s matchup against Czechia. The 12 players making their first appearance are Rory Guilday, Haley Winn, Kirsten Simms, Britta Curl-Salemme, Taylor Heise, Ava McNaughton, Aerin Frankel, Hannah Bilka, Tessa Janecke, Laila Edwards, Joy Dunne and Gwyneth Philips.
The PWHL Effect: Why Olympic women’s hockey looks different in 2026
When the Minnesota Frost and Seattle Torrent squared off in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) in early January, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Hilary Knight lined up on opposite sides of the puck.
On Thursday, they’ll be U.S. national teammates once again at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
‘Hillary (Knight’s) going to be my archnemesis on Seattle … then she’s going to turn around and be our leader and captain and I’m going to get to play with her,’ said Coyne Schofield. ‘When you look at the landscape (of women’s hockey) from the 2022 Games to now, (it’s) changed significantly.”
The PWHL didn’t exist during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. But in the two years since its launch in 2024, the league has created a competitive ecosystem that has transformed how elite players prepare for the Games. The PWHL’s influence is on full display as each nation named its Olympic roster ahead of Milano Cortina.
Of the 23 players named to the U.S. Olympic women’s ice hockey team, 16 are on PWHL rosters, including six from the defending champion Frost. Check out PWHL’s full impact here.
Sweden downs Germany in opener
Lina Ljungblom scored twice as Sweden rallied past Germany 4-1 in Thursday’s early game. Germany’s Katarina Jobst-Smith opened the scoring in the first period, but Ljungblom tied it less than four minutes later. Mira Jungaker and Thea Johanssson also scored for Sweden, and goalie Ebba Svensson Traff made 15 saves.
Today’s Olympic women’s hockey schedule
There will be three women’s hockey games played today, including USA vs. Czechia (10:40 a.m. ET).
Sweden is taking on Germany in the early game at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena. Italy and France will play at Milano Santagiulia at 8:40 a.m. ET.
A fourth game, Canada vs. Finland, was postponed until Feb. 12 because of a norovirus outbreak on the Finnish team.
Canada vs. Finland game postponed
The Canadian women’s hockey team will have to wait a little longer to take the ice at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Thursday’s preliminary matchup between Finland and Canada has been postponed following a norovirus outbreak among the Finnish team, the 2026 Milano Cortina organizing committee announced Thursday afternoon, hours ahead of the originally scheduled puck drop.
The match will now played Thursday, Feb. 12 at 8:30 a.m. ET.
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