Bilka nets two as U.S. women's hockey crushes Canada at Olympics - ESPN

MILAN — 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.

Poulin was ruled outabout 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.

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