Summarize this content to 100 words: MILAN — A team full of star power, the United States women got a balanced attack, including two goals from their 13th forward and a hard-working goal from their fourth line, as the Americans opened the 2026 Olympics with a 5-1 win against the Czech Republic, also known as Team Czechia.The U.S. is now 8 for 8 to open the Olympics all-time.In just 6:45 of ice time, Hayley Scamurra scored two goals and fourth-liner Joy Dunne scored her first career Olympic goal as the United States rolled. Czech goalie Klára Peslarová was tested early and often, making 37 saves on 42 shots, while Aerin Frankel stopped all but one of the 14 shots she faced.The game was played with U.S. Vice President JD Vance in attendance with his wife and kids, as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Vance stood up and cheered for five American goals scored by Scamurra, Dunne, Alex Carpenter and Hilary Knight.“I love our government representation, that everybody’s pulling for us and everybody back home,” coach John Wroblewski said. “It’s awesome.”Carpenter and Tessa Janecke each had two points.Czechia next plays Friday against Switzerland, while the Americans are at least scheduled to play Finland on Saturday.Finland’s game against Canada on Thursday was postponed until Feb. 12 due to a norovirus outbreak on the Finnish team. Thirteen players were quarantined at the athletes’ village after being either stricken by or exposed to the virus.USA GM Katie Million said the IOC hasn’t given direction yet as to whether Saturday’s game will go on as scheduled, but there is a medical meeting scheduled for Thursday night and they hope more information will be shared.“I think we’re planning on playing Finland, until somebody tells me differently,” Wroblewski said after the game. “Finland’s got a new coaching staff, so we don’t know anything about them. We were hoping to get maybe just one look.“But, I hope that they’re OK. That’s the most important part.”Knight climbing chartsHeading into Thursday’s game, only Hockey Hall of Fame forwards Jayna Hefford and Hayley Wickenheiser had scored in five Winter Olympics. We can now add Hilary Knight, who is playing in her fifth and final Olympics, to that list.Her goal was a beauty as she took Carpenter’s pass in the neutral zone, lowered her shoulders and outhustled the defender to the net for her first goal of the tournament and to give Team USA a 4-1 lead.It was Knight’s 13th goal at the Olympics, which puts her just one off the United States record held by Natalie Darwitz and Katie King. It was also her 28th point — four away from Jenny Potter’s all-time record.The goal came after Wroblewski tweaked the lines from the United States’ four Rivalry Series wins. He cited chemistry as the big reason he added Hannah Bilka to the top line alongside Carpenter and Knight; all three play together on a line for the PWHL Seattle Torrent. Britta Curl-Salemme was also moved up to the second line with Minnesota Frost teammate Taylor Heise and Abbey Murphy, while Janecke moved from first-line left wing to fourth-line center.“It’s definitely nice to have that familiarity,” Carpenter said. “We’re really lucky in that regard that we get to play together pretty much all season.”Huge night for ScamurraAt 31 years old, this is Scamurra’s second Olympics, and despite getting limited ice time, she is pivotal to this U.S. roster.“I like to say she kicks ass,” said Abbey Murphy. “She puts her head down, she grinds. She’s such a good mentor for us younger kids. You know, just the definition of a hard, hard-working player. And she deserves every little bit of that love. Just a hell of a game for her.”There’s no doubt she made the most of her ice time with her two goals coming in her first 4:42.“It was incredible,” Scamurra said. “Whenever I go out there, I just try to bring all the energy that I can to the team. To be able to produce is the cherry on top.”Wroblewski said, “There are certain players that are at the peak of what they do, and she’s the hardest, most difficult player and the one that wants to be here, maybe the most out of anybody.“Look at everybody else, they’re like a first-round, quote-unquote top-10 or top-five pick. And then you got Scams, who probably if you look at the men’s side, would be somebody who’s drafted in the later rounds. But she’s as pivotal a part of this team as anybody we have. And I was adamant we weren’t going to Milan without her at the start of this quad. She carries so much spirit to this team.”Dunne breaks throughAfter Wednesday’s practice, Wroblewski spoke about Joy Dunne and how it was only a matter of time before Dunne scored for Team USA.To fact check the coach: Dunne has scored in a U.S. jersey at the 2024 women’s world championship in Utica, but the point still stands. That it was only a matter of time before she found the back of the net in Milan.“I got to be a prognosticator,” Wroblewski said Thursday night. “I was pumped for her. You want to surround Hilary and company with the right players to get her that medal at the end of all this. That’s a big part of our motivation as a staff and how we picked this team is to end her legacy the right way. And Joy Dunne does a lot of things well.“Her Rivalry Series in succession is what validated her on this team.”Dunne is a player Wroblewski felt really earned her roster spot on the Olympic team through the little details of her game. She has size (5-foot-11) and incredible compete. She wins puck battles and she’s strong on the back check.So even though she hadn’t scored since 2024, Wroblewski saw her as a valuable player to have on this talented roster — and someone to watch.The goal came off a sweet setup from Janecke — the first of two goals in 1:23 as the Americans quickly turned a 1-0 lead into 3-0 to seize control.Laila Edwards makes her Olympic debutWhen she hit the ice on Thursday, starting the game on the top defense pair beside Megan Keller, Laila Edwards became the first Black woman to play for Team USA at a women’s Olympic hockey tournament.“It means a lot,” Edwards said after the game. “I take a lot of pride in it. And I’m just going to embrace it because representation matters, no matter how uncomfortable it can be. It’s for the next generation.”Edwards made her national team debut back in November 2023, and said she has gotten more comfortable talking about representation and being a role model at just 22 years old.“I could not do interviews or not talk about it, but then it doesn’t get out there,” she said. “And maybe a little girl doesn’t see (somebody) who looks like her and that’s what’s important.”Edwards’ Olympic debut was just her 15th game for Team USA since being moved from forward to defense last season. She tallied an assist on the team’s first goal of the tournament and played over 20 minutes.Czech’s lone goalTwo minutes after taking an interference penalty on Edwards, Czech forward Barbora Jurickova jumped out of the penalty box to score Czechia’s lone goal of the game.Jurickova, who started the game as the Czech’s 13th forward, skated in alone against Frankel with all five American power-play players pushing into the zone. As their time on the advantage expired, Abbey Murphy had a shot blocked and, on a beautiful play, Natálie Mlýnková spotted Jurickova coming out of the box.“It was a nice heads-up play,” said Czechia head coach Carla MacLeod. “The wherewithal to understand where you’re at a penalty kill and then Jurickova called for it up the ice. (There was) a nice tape-to-tape pace and a really nice finish.“In a game like this, you’re just going to need to capitalize on those opportunities that you generate. We followed that up with a crossbar not too much longer after that. So you got to be really excited about what’s going on and where we’re at — and still lots to go.”
USA downs Czech Republic on Day 1 of Olympic women’s hockey headlined by norovirus outbreak
By mychabi2013
