Team USA captain Hilary Knight scored in a second straight game, tying the U.S. Olympic record in the Americans\u2019 5-0 rout of Finland. Her 14 career Winter Olympic goals match totals set by Natalie Darwitz and Katie King.<\/p>\n
The Americans wore down an illness-hampered Finnish squad, extending Finland\u2019s winless Olympic record against the U.S. to 0-11. Vice President JD Vance<\/a> and his family attended and cheered on the tournament-favorite Americans.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM<\/a><\/p>\n United States players celebrate after defeating Finland in women’s ice hockey Group A play during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena Feb. 7, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Geoff Burke\/Imagn Images)<\/p>\n Team USA defender Megan Keller had a goal and two assists, while Alex Carpenter, Taylor Heise and Abbey Murphy also scored. Aerin Frankel stopped 11 shots for her first shutout in just her second career Olympic game.<\/p>\n The Finns returned to the ice as a full team for the first time since last being together at practice Tuesday. That night, four players developed symptoms of norovirus.<\/a> Two days later, Finland\u2019s 23-player roster was down to eight forwards and two goalies, prompting Olympic officials to postpone the team\u2019s tournament opener against Canada to Feb. 12.<\/p>\n 2026 MILAN CORTINA OLYMPICS: EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT THIS YEAR’S WINTER GAMES<\/a><\/p>\n On Friday, coach Tero Lehter\u00e4 vowed his team would play the Americans even if it meant having a minimum of five forwards and a goalie. After canceling their morning skate Saturday, the Finns took the ice six hours later with a full 22-player contingent.<\/p>\n United States players celebrate defeating Finland in women’s ice hockey Group A play during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena Feb. 7, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Geoff Burke\/Imagn Images)<\/p>\n Goalie Sanni Ahola stopped 44 shots and kept the Finns in the game through a first period in which she stopped 14 of 15 shots. Carpenter was the only one who beat her, scoring with a one-timer from the slot on a power-play goal with just under five minutes left in the period.<\/p>\n Vance was seated next to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul<\/a> at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena.<\/p>\n Vance and his family entered during the intermission at the end of the first period, with the U.S. leading 1-0. Paul joined them shortly after. Paul\u2019s fianc\u00e9e, Jutta Leerdam, is a speedskater and is competing for her native Netherlands at the Winter Games.<\/p>\n U.S. second lady Usha Vance<\/a> wore a sweatshirt with “USA” in big letters.<\/p>\n U.S. players gather in a huddle ahead of a women’s preliminary round Group A ice hockey match against the Czech Republic at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan Feb. 5, 2026. (Alexander Nemenov\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n Among those also seated near Vance were 2010 Olympic figure skating gold medalist Evan Lysacek and hockey\u2019s twin sisters, Hall of Famers Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando. They were members of the U.S. gold medal-winning team at the 2018 Winter Games.<\/p>\n The Associated Press contributed to this report.<\/p>\n Follow Fox News Digital\u2019s sports coverage on X<\/a>, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n![\"Team](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/team-usa-womens-hockey-celebrates.jpg\")
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