USA vs. Canada women's hockey history: Complete Olympic results, head-to-head record, more from rivalry

USA vs. Canada women's hockey history: Complete Olympic results, head-to-head record, more from rivalry originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Very few rivalries in sports has been as fierce as Team USA vs. Canada in women's ice hockey.

These two teams often play each other at the biggest stages, battling for supremacy in a sport where the both dominate. While other countries hope to one day reach their heights, Canada and the United States are the gold standard teams in women's ice hockey.

Therefore, whenever they do play at the highest stage, it becomes must-see television. Here's a breakdown of the history between the Canadian and United States women's ice hockey teams.

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USA vs. Canada women's hockey history

Ever since the International Ice Hockey Federation and Winter Olympics created their women's ice hockey tournaments in the 1990s, Canada and the United States have dominated the sport. The two sides have frequently faced off in gold medal games, as no other country has been able to unseat those two at the top.

Why do USA and Canada women's hockey hate each other?

Team USA and Canada each know that the other is its toughest competition in big tournaments. These two teams have played each other in dozens of big games, many with gold medals on the line.

Therefore, the intensity of these games have allowed the United States and Canada to develop animosity towards the other. Many of those games have been close, with just one goal being the difference between victory and defeat.

MORE: Updated results for 2026 Women's Olympic Ice Hockey

Are USA and Canada each other's biggest rival?

The rivalry between USA and Canada is fierce, as both sides know that they are each other's biggest competition. No other country in women's ice hockey has been able to find consistent success in the sport compared to these two teams.

How many times has the USA played Canada in hockey?

Since 1987, Team USA and Canada have played each other 194 times between the Winter Olympics, IIHF championships, Four Nations Cup and rivalry series.

USA vs. Canada women's hockey Olympics head-to-head record

USA and Canada have played each other 10 times in the Olympics, with six of those matchups coming in the gold-medal game. Overall, Canada has a 7-4 advantage over Team USA in the Winter Olympics.

MORE: 2026 Women's Ice Hockey standings

USA vs. Canada women's hockey Olympic gold medal history

USA and Canada have played each other in six of the seven gold medal matches in women's Olympic ice hockey history, and Canada has a 4-2 lead in that series. Team USA won the first gold medal game when the sport debuted in the 1998 Olympics, but Canada has won five of the last six gold medals, including four against the United States.

Team USA did get one back against Canada in 2018, winning a gold medal in PyeongChang in a game that ended in a shootout. Otherwise, Canada beat Team USA in the 2002, 2010, 2014 and 2022 gold medal games, and they also won the only gold medal match that didn't feature the United States as well.

Here's a look at every time Canada and Team USA played in the Olympic gold medal game:

• 1998: USA 3, Canada 1
• 2002: Canada 3, USA 2
• 2010: Canada 2, USA 0
• 2014: Canada 3, USA 2 (OT)
• 2018: USA 3, Canada 2 (SO)
• 2022: Canada 3, USA 2

USA vs. Canada women's hockey all-time head-to-head record

These two teams have played each other frequently in the Olympics, IIHF championships, rivalry series, Four Nations Cup, and more. Overall, Canada leads Team USA all-time with a record of 106-87-1.

Of those games, 48 of them have gone to overtime or a shootout, with Canada winning 26 of those and the United States winning 22.

USA vs. Canada women's hockey all-time gold medal history

Canada leads the United States in both International Ice Hockey Federation and Olympics gold medals. Canada has 13 IIHF golds and five Olympic golds, while the United States has 11 IIHF golds and two Olympic golds.

In total, Canada and Team USA have a combined 31 gold medals, which totals every gold medal in IIHF or Olympic women's ice hockey history. Additionally, all but two of those 31 gold medal games featured a battle between Canada and USA, as Finland and Sweden both have one silver medal each.

That doesn't include the Four Nations Cup, a tournament between Canada, the United States, Finland and Sweden that was held for almost two decades. While Canada dominated the series at first, the United States has had more of an advantage in recent years.

Here's a look ate every time Canada and the United States played in a gold medal game in the Winter Olympics, IIHF championships or Four Nations Cup.