MILAN — Laila Edwards made history as the first Black woman to represent the U.S. women’s hockey team at the Olympics. The 22-year-old added another historic first to her resume on Tuesday.
Edwards scored a goal in the third period to put an emphasis on Team USA’s 5-0 shutout win over the reigning Olympic champion Canadian team. With the goal, Edwards becomes the first Black woman to score for the U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team.
Edwards was one of three Black players on the ice during USA’s win over Canada — joining Canada forward Sarah Nurse and Canada defender Sophie Jaques — marking another Olympic first.
“That makes me really happy. I think it just shows the growth,” said Edwards, who also has two assists through four games, bringing her to three total points in her first Olympic appearance. “Representation matters, especially at the very highest level. To have three (Black women) out there, it just really makes me proud and gives me hope for the future.”
Edwards said it “feels good to get that first (goal),” against archrival Canada no less. Kendall Coyne Schofield said she wasn’t surprised that Edwards found the back of the net. The University of Wisconsin’s hockey defender has eight goals, 28 assists and 36 points for the Badgers this season.
“It was awesome. I couldn’t wait to get down to the other end of the bench as fast as I could (to celebrate), but I’ve seen it before,” Schofield said. “It was an incredible goal and something she does quite often, but so proud of her, so happy for her and like I said, I wasn’t surprised to see that come out of her arsenal.”
That wasn’t the only history made on Tuesday. Five-time Olympian Hilary Knight assisted on Caroline Harvey’s goal to improve to 32 career points and tie Jenny Potter’s all-time U.S. Olympic points record.
“She’s the best player in the world,” U.S. forward Taylor Heise said after Team USA’s 5-0 win over Finland on Saturday.
On Tuesday, Aerin Frankel made 20 saves as the Canadian women’s hockey team was shut out for the first time in Olympic history. Canada was playing without injured captain Marie-Philip Poulin.
“We needed players to step up today, obviously with Poulin not being there and I guess I should have made more saves,” goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens said. “So. it’s just learning from that … going, playing against Finland in our last round-robin game and then after that, obviously quarterfinals are going to start.”
Desbiens added: “I think with (Poulin) not finishing the last game … we want her to rest and recover and obviously get better. So once we get her back, she’s going to be there to have an impact. She’s the heart of the team. There’s no secret about that.”
Harvey opened the scoring for the U.S. less than four minutes into the game and Team USA never let its foot off the gas. Hannah Bilka scored two goals, Kirsten Simms had one and Abbey Murphy added three assists.
Team USA advances to the quarterfinals with a perfect 4-0 record and leads the 10-team field in goals scored on the tournament with 20 in four games. It has three consecutive shutouts and will face host Italy next.
USA TODAY Sports was on the ground in Milan and providing live updates from the showdown between USA and Canada. Here are highlights:
The USA will face Italy in the quarterfinals.
5-0 USA.
Emerance Maschmeyer comes in for Ann-Renee Desbiens after the Laila Edwards goal.
Laila Edwards gets the puck at center ice, skates into the zone and rips a shot through a screen for her first goal of the tournament. USA 5, Canada 0
USA captain Hilary Knight was belatedly awarded an assist on the USA’s first goal. That gives her 32 career Olympic points, tying Jenny Potter’s U.S. record.
Jocelyne Larocque is called for holding. That’s the fourth penalty drawn by Abbey Murphy. Laila Edwards hits the post. Canada kills it off. USA now 1-for-5 on the night.
Canada on the power play to start. The USA kills it off.
The USA moved Hannah Bilka to the Abbey Murphy-Taylor Heise line for the Canada game, and Bilka has two goals. “Both incredible players and Murph just made the really nice two passes and I just put them in,” Bilka told NBC.
The Americans have pitched a shutout of the Canadians through two periods. Team USA added two goals (Kirsten Simms, Hannah Bilka) in the period to improve to 4-0 over the reigning Olympic champions. Canada was outshot 11-6 in the period and 22-10 in the entire game.
Bodychecking used to be illegal in international women’s hockey, but the rules were changed to allow it if it occurs in an attempt to get the puck. The penalty is called if there’s checking without an attempt to get the puck.
Taylor Heise is called for an illegal hit. But there’s less than eight seconds left in the second period, so the power play will carry over to the third period.
Hannah Bilka is up to two goals on the night and Abbey Murphy has three assists after the two connected for Team USA’s fourth score of the night. Caroline Harvey was also credited with her second assist. Harvey is up to three points against Canada. USA 4, Canada 0
Kirsten Simms is called for an illegal hit. The USA kills it off and remains ahead 3-0.
Kristin O’Neill is called for cross-checking. Canada kills it off.
Canada goes short-handed after the unsuccessful challenge but kills the penalty.
Canada’s challenge was ruled unsuccessful and the American women now lead 3-0. Simms’ goal was assisted by Tessa Janecke and Abbey Murphy, her second of the night. USA 3, Canada 0
Kirsten Simms puts the puck in the net. A review confirms the puck went over the line. Canada challenging for goaltender interference.
Sarah Fillier is called for interference.
Abbey Murphy appeared to be shaken up after taking a blindside hit from Canada’s Sarah Fillier. Murphy remained down on the ice and remained hunched over when she got to her feet and skated to the bench. Fillier was assessed an interference penalty for the play after review. Murphy has one assist on the night.
2-0 USA.
The U.S. men’s hockey team is at Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena cheering on the women’s team. Dylan Larkin, the Red Wings, told NBC it looked like the USA is “having a blast.”
The first period belonged to the Americans, who thoroughly dominated and kept the Canadians on defense a majority of the time. The U.S. women are outshooting the Canadians 11-4 and have already built a 2-0 lead heading into the second period. Team USA could be leading by more, but they were unable to convert on a power play opportunity after Canada’s Blayre Turnbill was called for an illegal hit.
Team USA recorded a Sportscenter-worthy goal to extend its lead to 2-0 over the Canadians. Caroline Harvey connected with Abbey Murphy, who found Hannah Bilka in front of the net with an insane pass. Bilka found the back of the net at the 17:18 mark for her second goal of the 2026 Winter Olympics. USA 2, Canada 0
USA leads 1-0 and leads 9-2 in shots.
Blayre Turnbull is called for an illegal hit. Canada kills it off.
Caroline Harvey got the Americans on the board early in the first period at the 3:45 mark. Harvey buried a perfect pass from Haley Winn that to give USA a 1-0 advantage over Canada. It marked Harvey’s second goal of the 2026 Winter Olympics. She also has three assists. USA 1, Canada 0
USA’s Aerin Frankel vs. Canada’s Ann-Renee Desbiens in net. It’s the second consecutive start for Desbiens. Frankel was rested on Monday.
Puck drop between the U.S. women’s hockey team and Switzerland is set for 2:10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Feb. 10 from Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan.
USA Network will broadcast Monday’s U.S. women’s hockey Group A matchup against Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Streaming options for the game include NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Olympic App (with a TV login).
You can also stream the game on Peacock, NBC’s subscription streaming service.
This section will be updated as games are finished
USA is swapping the left wing on the top two lines.
The 3-0 USA has nine points and the 2-0 Canadians have six points heading into the game. If the USA wins in its final game in group play, it clinches the top seed in Group A. Canada would win the group if it wins in regulation. If the Canadians win in overtime, Canada’s rescheduled game against Finland on Feb. 12 would come into play.
Captain Marie-Philip Poulin has been ruled out of Canada’s preliminary round matchup against the United States on Tuesday due to a lower body injury suffered in the team’s 5-1 win over Czechia on Monday, Team Canada confirmed to USA TODAY Sports hours ahead of puck drop at the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan at 2:10 p.m. ET.
Poulin, 34, is listed as day-to-day.
Poulin took a shoulder from Czechia’s Kristyna Kaltounkova in the first period and hit the boards hard. The five-time Olympian appeared to be visibly shaken by the hit and remained down on her hands and knees for several moments. Poulin skated to the bench, but avoided putting any pressure on her right leg while leaving the ice and grimaced in pain on the bench.
Here is the full U.S. women’s hockey roster for the Milano Cortina Olympics:
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