The stage is set for the women's ice hockey semi-finals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, with Canada preparing to face off against Switzerland on February 16. The other semi-final match will see the United States take on Sweden.
Canada, a perennial powerhouse in women's hockey, has consistently been a top contender at the Olympics, securing a spot in the top two in every edition of the Games. They have won gold five times. Switzerland, in contrast, is making only their second appearance in the semi-finals since they began competing in 2006. They captured a bronze medal at the Sochi 2014 Olympics and finished fourth in Beijing in 2022.
While Canada is the defending gold medal champions from 2022, they experienced a setback with a 5-0 loss to the United States in the preliminary round. However, they bounced back with a 5-1 victory over Germany in the quarter-finals. Team captain Marie-Philip Poulin, who had been sidelined due to injury, made a triumphant return, scoring a goal and tying Hayley Wickenheiser's Olympic record of 18 goals. The games can be streamed live on CBC in Canada.
