2018 Women's Ice Hockey Tournament Overview
The women's ice hockey tournament at the 2018 Winter Olympics took place in PyeongChang, South Korea, from February 10 to 22, 2018. The event was held at the Gangneung Hockey Centre and the Kwandong Hockey Centre, with eight national teams competing for the gold medal. The tournament followed a round-robin group stage and single-elimination playoff format, as outlined by the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF.
United States women's hockey won the gold medal, defeating Canada 3–2 in a shootout during the final on February 22, 2018. The victory marked the first U.S. women's Olympic gold in ice hockey since the 1998 Nagano tournament. The U.S. team finished the tournament with a 5–1–1 record, outscoring opponents 19–10, according to official Olympic results Olympics.com.
Medal Results and Standings
Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medalists
United States won gold, Canada earned silver, and Finland claimed bronze after defeating Olympic Athletes from Russia 3–2 in the bronze medal game. The final standings placed the United States first, Canada second, Finland third, and Olympic Athletes from Russia fourth. The tournament featured a total of 16 games across the group stage and knockout rounds.
Finland's bronze medal ended a 20-year gap since their previous Olympic women's hockey medal, a silver from the 1998 Nagano Games. The Finnish team, coached by Pasi Mustonen, recorded four wins and one overtime loss in the tournament. Key contributors included forwards Petra Nieminen and defender Minttu Tuominen, as reported by team and tournament summaries IIHF.
Rosters and Key Players
United States Roster and Performance
The U.S. women's roster included 23 players led by captain Meghan Duggan and goaltender Maddie Rooney, who made 24 saves in the gold medal shootout. The team featured players from the National Women's Hockey League and the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association, which was later founded to advocate for a sustainable professional league NWHL.
Canada's roster featured forward Haley Irwin and goaltender Shannon Szabados, with the team advancing through the tournament with four wins and two overtime losses. The final between the United States and Canada was the sixth consecutive Olympic women's hockey final featuring the two nations, a streak dating back to the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.
Tournament Structure and Group Results
Group Stage Format
The eight teams were divided into two groups of four, playing a round-robin schedule within each group. The top two teams from each group advanced to the semifinals, with group stage results determining seeding. The tournament awarded 12 points in the group stage for a win, 2 points for an overtime or shootout win, and 1 point for an overtime or shootout loss.
Group A saw the United States finish first with 7 points, followed by Finland with 6 points. Group B was topped by Canada with 9 points, while Olympic Athletes from Russia