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Team USA and Canada will reignite their bitter rivalry on Thursday in the gold medal game of women’s ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
All eyes will be on the Americans when the puck drops in Milan, Italy, at 1:10 p.m. ET. “Miracle on Ice” star Jim Craig will be among those watching.
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Jim Craig celebrates Team USA’s victory over the USSR on February 22, 1980. (Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
He shared some advice for the women’s team ahead of the match.
“As the women of Team USA go for gold, remember – the moment is not bigger than you. You’ve prepared for this,” he wrote on X. “Trust the work. Trust each other. Compete with heart.
“When you play for the name on the front of the shirt, anything is possible.”
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USA’s Caroline Harvey (4) shoots during the second period of a women’s ice hockey quarterfinal match between the United States and Italy at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Craig was the netminder for Team USA when the United States won gold at the 1980 Winter Olympics, upsetting the Soviet Union and topping Finland for the gold.
It has not been the same dispute on the women’s side, as this time they have mostly been on cruise control during the Olympics. The Americans outscored their opponents in group play, 16-1, including a 5-0 win over Canada on February 10.
In the tournament portion, Team USA has outscored their opponents 11-0.
U.S. players celebrate after a women’s ice hockey semifinal match between the United States and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
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The United States will look to capture gold in a revenge moment from the 2022 Games in Beijing. Canada topped the USA 3-2 in that game. The United States and Canada have taken each other in every gold medal game since the 2010 Olympics in Canada.
