Hayley Scamurra's Stellar Performance Powers US Women's Hockey to Dominant Olympic Victory
In a commanding start to their Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic campaign, the United States women's national hockey team secured a decisive 5-1 victory over Czechia. The standout performance came from forward Hayley Scamurra, who scored two crucial goals despite logging just 6 minutes and 45 seconds of ice time across 11 shifts.
Coach's Unwavering Faith in Scamurra Validated
Head coach John Wroblewski, who took over the team four years ago, had previously declared Scamurra as the one player he couldn't imagine the roster without. "I was adamant with it. We weren't going to Milan without her at the start of this quad," Wroblewski emphasized. "She carries so much spirit to your team. I just can't imagine there's anyone that works harder and wants it more than she does. It's inspiring, frankly."
Scamurra, a 31-year-old from Buffalo, New York, and daughter of former NHL defenseman Peter Scamurra, has carved her path through perseverance. Despite building a reputation as a top defensive forward during her college career at Northeastern, she remained overlooked by USA Hockey until making the national team in 2019.
Scamurra's Journey and Impact
Now making her second Olympic appearance after winning silver in 2022, Scamurra doubled her career Olympic goal total in this single game. "I just do my best to bring that energy in every shift that I have," Scamurra said. "It feels a little extra special to be able to help on the scoreboard and physically, too."
Reflecting on her unconventional path to Olympic success, she added, "Honestly I think it just shows it's never too late to keep chasing your dreams. So I think, it just shows with hard work that anything is possible for sure."
Comprehensive Team Effort and Historical Moments
The American victory was a comprehensive team effort. Alex Carpenter contributed a goal and an assist, while captain Hilary Knight and Joy Dunne also found the back of the net. This win extends the US team's perfect record against Czechia to 8-0 in international play.
Goaltender Aerin Frankel, making her Olympic debut, stopped 13 shots to secure the win. The game also featured a historic moment as Laila Edwards became the first Black female to represent the United States in hockey at the Olympics, recording an assist during the match.
Czechia's Response and Tournament Context
For Czechia, making their second Olympic appearance after debuting in 2022, Barbora Jurickova scored their lone goal. Coach Carla MacLeod, who has guided Czechia to become a rising power with two bronze medals and two fourth-place finishes in recent world championships, saw positives in the performance.
"You're not worried, sort of, about the outcome at this point. You're just are we generating chances? Are we playing our way? Are we believing in what we're doing?" MacLeod said. "And I saw all that. And for me, that's a great thing for us, as we continue to build and get better."
Olympic Atmosphere and Notable Attendees
The game drew a nearly packed crowd of over 5,000 at the Rho Ice Hockey Arena, where American fans greeted the team with loud cheers and "U-S-A!" chants from puck drop. Among the distinguished attendees were U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who arrived about 12 minutes into the game and departed with just over six minutes remaining.
The American delegation, which included USA Hockey officials and security personnel, occupied a section directly behind the penalty box opposite the U.S. bench.
Game Progression and Scoring Details
Carpenter opened the scoring with a power-play goal with 4:05 remaining in the first period. The Americans then dominated the second period with three goals to build a 4-1 lead. Scamurra's first goal came when she dug the puck out of a scrum to the right of the net and beat goaltender Klara Peslarova through the legs. She closed the scoring in the third period by one-timing a pass from Kelly Pannek.
Captain Hilary Knight praised Scamurra's versatility, saying, "Honestly, it's inspiring. You can put her anywhere. ... I was hoping she'd get a third to be honest."
Tournament Developments and Looking Ahead
In other Olympic hockey news, the scheduled Group A game between defending champion Canada and Finland was postponed to February 12 due to a stomach virus that affected 13 Finnish players, leaving their roster with just eight skaters and two goalies.
The United States now prepares to face Finland on Saturday, with uncertainty about how many Finnish players will be healthy enough to compete. "I hope that they're OK, let's just leave it at that. That's the most important part," Wroblewski said regarding the Finnish team's health situation.
In earlier Group B action, Sweden defeated Germany 4-1 with Lina Ljungblom scoring twice, putting them in strong position for quarterfinal seeding. Host nation Italy posted its first Olympic victory with a 4-1 win over France in their second Olympic appearance, while France made their Olympic debut.
