Scamurra And Knight Shine As Team USA Women Dominate Czechia In Olympic Opener

The U.S. women’s hockey team wasted no time making a statement at the 2026 Winter Olympics, storming past Czechia 5-1 in their opening Group A match at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena on February 5. With the Olympic cauldron yet to be officially lit—opening ceremonies are set for Friday—the American squad, ranked No. 1 in the world, left no doubt that they’re on a mission for gold in Milan.

Hayley Scamurra, who played just 6:45 of ice time, was a force of nature, netting two goals and energizing her teammates from the drop of the puck. Her performance set the tone for a U.S. attack that looked balanced, deep, and relentless. "It was incredible, honestly," Scamurra told Olympics.com after the game. "I think I was just so excited to finally get out there and start this Olympics that I think I had so much energy in me, so it was amazing. I think at the beginning, you could see a little bit of excitement, and I think we transmuted that pretty quickly, and we had a really solid game, a few turnovers that they could have got on us, but I think we did a really good job of recovering and playing a good defensive game."

Veteran leadership stood out as well, with captain Hilary Knight scoring her 13th career Olympic goal late in the second period. Knight, competing in her fifth and final Olympics, remains one of the sport’s biggest stars and a tireless advocate for women’s hockey. Her tally puts her just one goal shy of tying Katie King and Natalie Darwitz for the most Olympic goals in U.S. women’s history—a record that could fall in the coming days.

The Americans jumped ahead late in the first period on a power play. Alternate captain Alex Carpenter redirected a booming slap shot from Megan Keller past Czechia’s Klara Peslarova, with Laila Edwards notching an assist. Edwards’ presence on the scoresheet was historic: she became the first Black woman to compete for the U.S. women’s hockey team at the Olympics, marking a significant milestone for the program and the sport.

“I love that we’re a threat from everywhere. I think the way we work together is truly unmatched,” Carpenter said to NBC after the first period. She finished the game with a goal and an assist, showing her trademark poise and playmaking ability. Defenseman Laila Edwards, aside from making history, added a crucial assist on Carpenter’s opener, while Tessa Janecke sparkled with two assists, including a slick centering feed to Joy Dunne for the Americans’ second goal just over three minutes into the second period.

Dunne’s tap-in was her first career Olympic goal, a memorable start for the fourth-liner in her Olympic debut. Just 83 seconds later, Janecke dug the puck out from along the boards and flicked a behind-the-back pass to Scamurra, who spun and fired a low shot that found its way through traffic, making it 3-0 and sending the American bench into a frenzy.

Czechia, to their credit, showed resilience. Barbora Jurickova, who had just exited the penalty box, took a long stretch pass from Natalie Mlynkova and raced in alone on U.S. netminder Aerin Frankel. Jurickova’s finish over Frankel’s right leg gave Czechia a glimmer of hope and cut the deficit to 3-1 midway through the second period. It was a rare moment of vulnerability for Frankel, who otherwise turned aside 13 of 14 shots to earn her first Olympic victory.

But the Americans responded with characteristic urgency. With 2:10 left in the second period, Knight received a pass from Carpenter at center ice, powered up the right wing, and used her strength to fend off a Czech defender before rifling a wrist shot over Peslarova’s glove. The goal restored the three-goal cushion and all but sealed the contest heading into the third.

The final period saw Scamurra cap her brilliant night with a second goal, this time snapping a shot from the right faceoff circle after a pinpoint pass from Kelly Pannek. Scamurra’s two-goal outing was a testament to the depth of the U.S. roster, where contributions can come from any line at any time.

The Americans peppered Peslarova with shots all night, outshooting Czechia 42-14. Peslarova was valiant in net, making 37 saves and keeping the score respectable, especially in a first period that saw the U.S. dominate with a 14-3 shot advantage. The Czech squad, featuring eight PWHL stars and making only its second Olympic appearance after debuting in 2022, showed flashes of promise but couldn’t match the Americans’ speed and precision.

Behind the bench, head coach John Wroblewski praised his team’s performance but urged caution: “Today was a great start, but every game we have to grow. We’ve cultivated a style of play over the last four years, and we’re in full trust of this team as Olympians. It’s cliché, but every game, we need to grow as a team.”

The Americans’ power play clicked early, converting one of three opportunities, while Czechia failed to score on their lone man advantage. The U.S. improved to a perfect 8-0 in Olympic opening games, outscoring opponents 49-6 in those contests, and now holds a 2-0 record against Czechia in Olympic play.

The atmosphere in the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena was electric, with a packed house that included Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance, who met with members of Team USA before the game. The Olympic spirit was palpable, even as the official opening ceremonies loomed a day away at the iconic San Siro.

Looking ahead, Team USA will face Finland on Saturday, February 7, at 4:40 p.m. CET (10:40 a.m. ET). The Finns’ opening game against Canada was postponed due to illness, adding intrigue to the Group A standings. Meanwhile, Czechia is set to take on Switzerland the day before.

With a blend of youthful energy, veteran savvy, and historical firsts, the U.S. women’s hockey team has set the pace at Milano Cortina 2026. If this opener is any indication, the road to gold will run straight through the American locker room. The journey continues Saturday, and all eyes will be watching to see how far this talented squad can go.