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The United States and Canada renewed their fierce women's hockey rivalry at the Milan Cortina Games on Tuesday. 

Team USA beat Canada 5-0 in the preliminary round — to the delight of women’s hockey fans at a watch party in Minneapolis. 

Much has changed in women’s sports since the last Winter Games. 

The watch party was at women’s sports bar A Bar of Their Own, which didn’t exist the last time the U.S. women’s hockey team hit the Olympic ice. The bar opened in 2024 as the 

first sports bar in the Midwest dedicated exclusively to women’s sports

People at the watch party were cheering on their favorite players from a league that also didn’t exist four years ago. Olympic athletes representing Team USA and other countries also play for the Professional Women’s Hockey League, which was 

Six players from the Minnesota Frost represent Team USA. Lee Lefevre and his partner are season ticket holders of the Minnesota Frost and were at the watch party Tuesday.  

“It's nice to get out and I knew that there'd be a ton of other Frost fans here. It's the next best thing to being there, being around people who are going to cheer and have a good time and get into it,” he said. 

Another Frost fan, Ann Kreitman, was also watching Tuesday’s game at A Bar of Their Own.

“This is really important. USA and Canada are two of the best teams in the world. It's a showcase of the top talent, two programs and athletes who have trained their whole lives to get to this stage,” Kreitman said.  

“And yeah, it's a great opportunity for more people to get aware of women’s hockey.”

Team USA’s dominating 5-0 win over Canada

Hannah Bilka scored twice, and the United States’ youth and speed overwhelmed a Canadian women’s hockey team missing its captain in a 5-0 win at the Milan Cortina Games on Tuesday.

The lopsided victory clinched first place for the U.S. in Group A entering the quarterfinals, and continued confirming why the Americans entered the tournament as favorites. Team USA swept all four preliminary-round games by a combined score of 20-1, and brought back memories of how a Canadian team in its prime rolled to winning gold at the 2022 Beijing Games.

The tables have since turned, and it was evident on the scoresheet from a roster that features seven players still in college.

The University of Wisconsin's Caroline Harvey had a goal and two assists, with Badger teammates Laila Edwards and Kristen Simms also scoring. The goal was Edwards' first in her Olympic debut in being the first Black woman to represent the U.S.

University of Minnesota captain Abbey Murphy set up three goals.

Aerin Frankel stopped 20 shots for her third win and second shutout in her first Olympic tournament. And even 36-year-old captain Hilary Knight added an assist — the 32nd Olympic point of her career to tie Jenny Potter for most by a U.S. women’s hockey player.

Canada, meantime, opened tentatively, and then ran into penalty problems minus its longtime leader, Marie-Philip Poulin.

 about five hours before puck drop, and a day after she limped off with an apparent lower-body injury in the first period of a 5-1 win over Czechia. The 34-year-old Poulin is considered day to day, though it’s unclear when the player nicknamed “Captain Clutch” will be available for Canada’s closing game of the preliminary round against Finland on Thursday.

And Poulin’s availability is uncertain for Saturday, when Canada is scheduled to play its quarterfinal game.

The U.S. will open the quarterfinals against host nation Italy, which went 2-2 in clinching the third and final Group B playoff spot. The Americans are two-time Olympic gold medalists.

Whatever “O, Canada” buzz there was amid a large Maple Leaf flag-waving capacity crowd quickly dampened on a drizzly day outside the 11,600-seat Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. And the soundtrack instead became the sound of the U.S. goal song, Lynyrd Skynyrd's “Free Bird.”

Harvey opened the scoring 3:45 in by driving in from the left point and snapping a shot beating Ann-Renee Desbiens.

The Americans’ speed and quick-strike ability was evident on their next goal when Murphy chased down Harvey’s pass in the right corner. Murphy immediately spun and sent a no-look pass Bilka converted by driving to the net.

Simms made it 3-0 by jamming the puck over the line 72 seconds into the second period and Murphy set up Bilka for another one-timer some six minutes later.

Desbiens allowed five goals on 27 shots and was pulled after Edwards scored with 8:07 left. She was replaced by Emerance Maschmeyer, who finished with five saves.

Canada’s worst fears were realized in opening the game minus Poulin, after concerns were already raised after the U.S. dominated in sweeping a four-game exhibition pre-Olympic Rivalry Series. The Americans outscored Canada by a combined margin of 24-7.

The U.S. has now defeated Canada in seven straight meetings, dating to the preliminary round and gold-medal game of the world championships in April.

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Lisa Ryan

The Associated Press

The win comes at a time in women’s sports that is much different than the last Winter Games. 

U.S. women’s hockey beats Canada 5-0

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