02/07/26 12:16:00
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02/07 12:14 CST Hilary Knight ties US Olympic goal record in 5-0 win over
Finland team coming off stomach virus
Hilary Knight ties US Olympic goal record in 5-0 win over Finland team coming
off stomach virus
By JOHN WAWROW
AP Hockey Writer
MILAN (AP) --- Hilary Knight scored to tie the U.S. Olympic women's hockey
career goal record, and the Americans wore down a Finland opponent that spent
much of the week dealing with a stomach virus in a 5-0 win at the Milan Cortina
Games on Saturday.
With U.S. Vice President JD Vance and family cheering along, 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.
The tournament favorite Americans (2-0) improved to 11-0 in Olympic meetings
against Finland, and had just about everything going in their favor on Saturday.
The Finns returned to the ice as a full team for the first time since last
being together at practice on Tuesday. That night, four players developed
symptoms of a norovirus. Two days later, Finland's 23-player roster was down to
eight forwards and two goalies, prompting Olympic officials to postpone the
team's tournament opener against Canada to Feb. 12.
On Friday, coach Tero Lehtera vowed his team would play the Americans even if
it meant having a minimum five forwards and a goalie. After canceling their
morning skate on Saturday, the Finns took the ice six hours later with a full
22-player contingent.
Finland came out with speed but showed signs of rustiness while struggling to
handle the puck. Petra Nieminen had it slide off her stick on a potential break
two minutes in. The Finns eventually wore down in managing nine shots through
two periods and 11 overall.
Goalie Sanni Ahola stopped 44 shots overall, and kept the Finns in the game
through a first period in which she stopped 14 of 15 shots. Carpenter was the
only one that beat her wjth a one-timer from the slot for a power-play goal
with 4:48 left in the period.
The U.S. then broke open the game with three goals through the first 9:17 of
the second period.
Knight capped the run by being set up to the left of the net. She paused, then
spun toward the net and banked a shot in off of Ahola's blocker.
The goal was Knight's second of the tournament and 14th in her USA
Hockey-record fifth Olympic Games. The 36-year-old tied the U.S. record for
goals shared by Natalie Darwitz and Katie King, and Knight's 29 career points
are only three back of matching Jenny Potter on the U.S. list.
Finland didn't manage its first shot on net in the third period --- and 10th
overall --- until the 11-minute mark, when Sanni Vanhanen's snapper was gloved
by Frankel.
In other Group A play, Canada was scheduled to open the tournament facing
Switzerland, which also had a stomach flu scare. The Swiss team skipped the
opening ceremony, and spent Friday night in isolation after one player showed
symptoms of the norovirus.
The player was cleared on Saturday.
Vance returned to the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena for a second time after he
and his family also attended the Americans' tournament-opening 5-1 win over
Czechia on Thursday.
Vance sat with his youngest child, daughter Mirabel, on his lap. Usha Vance,
wearing a sweatshirt with "USA" in big letters, clapped along to Queen's "We
Will Rock You," before the second period started. The vice president and his
wife stood and clapped when the U.S. scored a goal. They were back on their
feet cheering a few minutes later when the Americans scored again.
Among his entourage were hockey's twin sisters Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and
Monique Lamoureux-Morando, members of the U.S. gold medal-winning team at the
2018 Winter Games. And the group was joined by influencer and boxer Jake Paul.
In earlier Group B play, Thea Johansson scored twice and added an assist, and
Sweden improved to 2-0 with a 6-1 win over host Italy (1-1). Franziska Stocker
scored for the Italians.
Also, Laura Kluge had a goal and three assists, Nicola Hadraschek scored twice
and added an assist, and Germany (1-1) defeated Japan 5-2. Trailing 5-0 through
31 minutes, Yumeka Wajima and Mei Miura scored 22 seconds apart late in the
second period for Japan (1-1).
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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
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