The 2026 Winter Olympics gold medal game takes place Thursday at Santagiulia Arena in Milan. The rivalry between the two programs has defined women’s Olympic hockey for nearly three decades, and this year’s final adds another chapter.
Canada has reached the gold medal game in all seven Olympic tournaments since women’s hockey debuted in 1998, winning five times. The United States won the inaugural gold in 1998 and claimed its second title in 2018 in a shootout.
This time, the Americans enter as betting favorites.
USA vs. Canada Hockey Odds and Betting Lines for Olympic Final
The puck drops at 1:10 p.m. ET. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the United States is listed as a -480 favorite, meaning a bettor would need to risk $480 to win $100. Canada enters as a +360 underdog. The over/under for total goals is set at 5.5, with odds of +116 for the over and -142 for the under.
The matchup follows a year of momentum for Team USA. Since February 2025, the teams have met nine times, including a group-stage game at these Olympics.
Team USA won eight of those contests, including the last six in a row.
In their Olympic preliminary matchup nine days ago, the Americans defeated Canada 5-0. Canada played without captain Marie-Philip Poulin in that game due to injury. Poulin has since returned and is expected to play in the final.
SportsLine expert Mike Tierney has issued his prediction for the matchup. Tierney, a national sportswriter whose work has appeared in The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, has covered nine Olympic Games in person. According to SportsLine, Tierney has delivered profitable Olympic betting advice in multiple Games, including Rio 2016, Pyeongchang 2018, and Beijing 2022.
Team USA Hockey’s Youth Movement vs. Team Canada Experience
Heading into Milan, the two teams took different roster approaches.
Canada leaned on veteran experience, with an average roster age of about 30. The United States emphasized youth development, with an average age under 27. Seven American players remain in college, while Canada has none.
The Americans’ younger core has delivered. Four of the team’s five leading scorers in Milan — defender Caroline Harvey, forwards Laila Edwards, Hannah Bilka, and Abbey Murphy — are between 22 and 24 years old.
“Those players act like they’ve been there because they have,” teammate Taylor Heise said after Monday’s semifinal, via NPR. “It’s so important that they’ve gotten that time and we’ve given them those opportunities, because they’re so confident when they get out there.”
Thursday’s final also marks the final Olympic appearance for Team USA captain Hilary Knight. Knight has competed in five Olympic Games and will leave Milan with her fifth Olympic medal.
USA-Canada Women’s Hockey Final Set for High-Stakes Clash: Odds, Predictions, How to Watch