Canada into Olympic women’s hockey final, Poulin breaks record in 2-1 win over Swiss

By Canadian Press on February 16, 2026.

MILAN — Canada will play for women’s Olympic hockey gold again.

The defending champions are a win away from repeating, but will be the underdogs Thursday against a talented, relentless United States team that has outscored its opposition 31-1 in the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice in a 2-1 semifinal win over Switzerland on Monday to break the Olympic women’s scoring record.

She became the first woman to score 20 career goals in the women’s tournament. Her former teammate Hayley Wickenheiser held the previous record of 18.

The U.S. blanked Sweden 5-0 earlier Monday.

Canada will have played in all eight finals dating back to the Olympic debut of women’s hockey in 1998 in Nagano, Japan.

Canada is 5-2 in previous finals with losses to the U.S. in 1998 and 2018.

“It’s the gold medal game,” said U.S. forward Taylor Heise. “Everyone’s going to show up, and if they don’t, they’re not meant to be there.”

The United States and Canada have clashed in every Olympic final but one in 2006 in Turin, Italy, where the Swedes upset the Americans in a semifinal shootout.

The Canadians and the Swiss met in an Olympic semifinal a third time Monday after Canada’s 10-3 win in 2022 in Beijing, and a 3-1 decision in 2014 in Sochi, Russia.

Switzerland went with Andrea Braendli in goal Monday after starting Saskia Maurer in a Group A game, which Canada won 4-0.

Braendli stopped 43 shots, while Canada’s Ann-Renée Desbiens made seven saves.

Canada outshot the Swiss 13-1 and 35-4 at period breaks and led 2-0 after two periods. But the Canadians didn’t handle a heavy forecheck by the Swiss in the third period and turned the puck over behind their own net.

Alina Mülller fed Enzler in the slot to beat Desbiens on Switzerland’s seventh shot of the game at 4:53, and halve the deficit. The Swiss pulled Braendli for an extra attacker with two minutes remaining, but an illegal hit penalty to Ivana Wey negated that advantage.

The first period ended with no scoring, but Poulin broke the tension for her team at 1:49 of the second period when her one-timer deflected off Swiss forward Naemi Herzig and turned into a knuckler that fooled the Swiss goalie.

Poulin followed up at 8:21 when she was tripped driving the crease, yet shovelled a rebound by a sprawling Braendli after a Darryl Watts attempt.

A five-minute major to Poulin for checking Laura Zimmerman into the boards was downgraded to a minor upon review.

A Blayre Turnbull penalty for hooking as Poulin’s expired gave the Swiss a total of four minutes with an extra attacker, but the Canadians killed both minors.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 16, 2026.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press