The 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics were a wild ride for women’s hockey, full of upsets, overtime, and outstanding performances. The Games may be over and the players may have returned to their regularly scheduled activities in the PWHL, NCAA, and European leagues, but that doesn’t mean we can’t relive the best parts. If you, like me, are missing the Olympics, here are some of the most memorable moments from Milan.
Italy wins its first Olympic hockey game in front of the home crowd
When Italy last appeared in women’s hockey at the Olympics, it was as the hosts of the 2006 Turin Games. During that tournament, the Italian team didn’t win a single game, scored only three goals total, and suffered through three separate shutouts where their opponents scored at least 11 goals on them.
Fast forward 20 years later and Team Italy is back again as the host country in Milan. Their opening match is against France, the second-lowest-ranked team in the tournament, and Italy comes out swinging. They score more goals in this one game than they did in all of the 2006 Olympics, putting four on France. They execute plays, drive to the net, and pepper the French goaltender with 46 shots. Meanwhile, the crowd of 9,356 inside Santagiulia Arena is eating it up. In the end, Italy’s 4-1 victory was their first ever in Olympic women’s hockey, and the start of a miraculous run of success for a team nearly everyone counted out going into these Games.
Marie-Philip Poulin breaks Olympic goal-scoring record
Marie-Philip Poulin wrote her name down in the history books once again when she captured the all-time record for most career goals in Olympic women’s hockey. The previous record, held by Hayley Wickenheiser, was 18. A five-time Olympian, Poulin tied Wickenheiser’s mark in the quarterfinals against Germany, coming back from injury to score a power play goal in the 5-1 victory. In Canada’s semifinal versus Switzerland, Poulin decided it was double or nothing, scoring both goals for her team to break the record by two. Now, Poulin’s name will live in the Olympic recordbooks among all her other accomplishments.
Sweden upsets Czechia to return to the semifinals
Czechia was a bronze medal favorite. Sweden was a rebuilding program trying to prove they should belong in the top division. Everyone expected good hockey, but I don’t know how many predicted the ultimate outcome when these two teams faced off. In the end, it was a battle driven by defensive play and special teams, and Sweden came out on top, 2-0, led by outstanding play from Mira Jungåker on defense and a 29-save shutout by Ebba Svensson Träff.
At the 2022 Olympics, Sweden finished in eighth place out of ten teams in the tournament. In 2026, they sat at the top of Group B and earned their place in the semifinals by upsetting a medal favorite. Swedish women’s hockey has had a rough journey over the last several years, but their performance at these Olympics proved that the Damkronorna are back for good.
Alina Müller lifts Switzerland back onto the podium
When the bronze medal match between Switzerland and Sweden went to overtime (one of many in the Olympic hockey tournaments — everyone loves bonus hockey!), it felt almost inevitable that the hero of the game would be Alina Müller. The Swiss forward, appearing in her fourth Olympics, had spent the whole tournament to this point firmly establishing herself as a world-class player. She was a huge part of getting Switzerland to this point, from making plays to scoring the lone goal over Finland in the quarterfinals. She also has a noted history of scoring medal-winning goals, like when she clinched Switzerland’s first bronze medal at the 2014 Olympics when she was just 15 years old.
But Müller couldn’t just score the clinching goal — she had to do it in dramatic fashion. Throughout the 3-on-3 overtime period, both teams had great chances, but nothing found the back of the net. As time continued to tick away, it looked like the game might be headed to a shootout in order to decide a winner. Suddenly, with less than a minute left in overtime, Müller passes to Ivana Wey, who evades a Swedish defender before sending it back to Müller, who shoots it high. The puck bounces off the crossbar and in, sealing the deal for Switzerland. Few athletes at the Olympics got to celebrate quite as gloriously as Müller that day.
Megan Keller’s golden goal
The gold medal game was the match-up everyone expected, the battle of the world leaders, USA vs. Canada. Team USA seemed unbeatable going into the game, but Canada brought the fight to them, pushing the game all the way to overtime. Would this be settled quickly, or would fans be waiting anxiously, holding their breaths through endless 3-on-3 overtime? Megan Keller had the answer. At just over four minutes into overtime, Taylor Heise passed it to Keller, who toe-dragged around Canada defender Claire Thompson and sent the puck home for Team USA’s third Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey.
What can I say about this moment that hasn’t been said already? Instead of trying, I’ll just leave you with this picture, one of my favorites of these Olympics.
Honorable mentions: off-ice fun
- Hilary Knight proposed to her girlfriend, Team USA speed skater Brittany Bowe, four years after they met at the 2022 Olympics.
- Haley Winn had a personal cheering section, comprised of her enthusiastic brothers and their funky outfits for each game.
- The world learned about Ronja Savolainen and Anna Kjellbin’s real-life “heated rivalry” when the engaged couple and PWHL teammates faced off with Finland and Sweden.
- Athletes showed fans around the Olympic Village and gave viewers a taste of what life is like as an Olympian. Jealous of the Olympic rings pasta and tiramisu in the athlete cafeteria!