MILAN — Late in the third period of the United States and Czechia’s opening-round women’s hockey game at the Milano Cortina Olympic Games, singalongs to “Sweet Caroline” gave way to chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!”
If Team USA’s performance Thursday evening is any indication, it is a chant that will echo through the next two weeks.
The U.S., the world’s top-ranked team, opened its bid to reclaim the Olympic gold medal with a 5-1 victory over Czechia at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena, a matchup that was even more lopsided than the score suggests.
Hayley Scamurra scored a pair of goals and nearly had a hat trick on a night when the Americans outshot the Czechs 42-14 with Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in attendance.
Megan Keller opened the scoring with a power play goal at 15:55 mark of the first period, redirecting an Alex Carpenter blast past Czechia goalkeeper Klara Peslarova.
Tessa Janecke set up goals by Joy Dunne and Scamurra within 90 seconds of each other in the second period.
The U.S. women are now 8-0 in Olympic opening games. Team USA meets Finland, ranked No. 3 in the world, in Group A play Saturday.
More to come on this story.
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