Team USA Hockey

Canada Takes 2-0 Lead Over Team USA in Gold Medal Game

Sarah Nurse and Marie-Philip Poulin put Canada on the board in the first period

Canada's Sarah Nurse celebrates a goal
Jae C. Hong/AP

Canada is off and running against Team USA.

Sarah Nurse and Marie-Philip Poulin’s goals gave Canada a 2-0 first-period lead over the U.S. in the gold medal match at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Team USA had 11 shots on goal in the first but was unable to beat Canadian goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens. Hannah Brandt missed an opportunity to put Team USA on the board two minutes into the game as her close-range shot hit the side netting.

Natalie Spooner seemingly broke the ice with a goal 7:15 into the opening frame, but Team USA challenged the play for a potential offside and succeeded.

Canada officially got on the board less than a minute later as Nurse redirected the puck past U.S. goalie Alex Cavallini. With the goal, Nurse tied the record for most points (17) for a player in an Olympic tournament.

Marie-Philip Poulin, nicknamed “Captain Clutch” doubled Canada’s lead 15:02 into the first period. She stole the puck in the U.S. zone and scored her 16th career Olympic goal.

Canada is eyeing its fifth Olympic gold, while Team USA has work to do if it wants to claim its third.

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