The U.S. women’s hockey team stomped into the Olympic semifinals with a 6-0 win over Italy in Milan — a game that mixed sharp offense with some well-timed toughness. The scoreline tells part of the story; the rest is about control. The Americans dominated possession, generated chance after chance, and left the ice with another clean sheet heading into the win-or-go-home rounds.
Abbey Murphy: the spark and the spoiler
Twenty-three-year-old Abbey Murphy was the kind of nuisance every defense hates — lethal around the net and relentless at baiting penalties. She scored, tested Italy’s goalie with dangerous chances, and repeatedly pulled defenders out of position so her linemates could find space. Murphy’s ability to win puck battles and draw infractions helped turn small moments into extended pressure for the U.S.
She didn’t just score; she set the tone. Multiple times she attacked the slot with purpose, finished on a power play, and created secondary chances with smart off-puck movement. Late in the second period she even got tangled with Italy’s Franziska Stocker after a collision, a scrap that reset momentum and forced the officials to clean things up — all while the Americans stayed composed.
Defense, goaltending and the quiet engine
This was a full-team effort, not a one-woman show. Aerin Frankel and Gwyneth Philips combined to keep the net empty for another long stretch — the pair had more than 271 minutes of shutout time heading into the quarters. That goaltending confidence let the forwards press higher and gamble on quick transitions without panicking about odd-man rushes.
Backchecking was disciplined, breakouts were clean, and the neutral zone was actively defended with sticks and angles. That team structure turned Italy’s few attempts into low-value shots and kept dangerous scoring chances to a minimum.
Leadership and momentum control
Veterans like Hilary Knight and Lee Stecklein played the calming, steady roles you expect from senior players. When tempers flared or frustration built, they reset the group, kept puck management sharp, and made sure the plan didn’t fall apart. Their presence let the team turn physical moments into tactical advantages instead of distractions.
Taylor Heise called Murphy “electric,” and that’s a fitting description. Her energy lifted the whole group and nudged the tempo higher — something that matters a lot when you want to grind out a dominating performance.
Numbers that back up the blowout
The stats mirrored what you saw on the ice. The U.S. outshot Italy 51–6, a brutal reflection of territorial control and shot volume. They converted their chances efficiently, especially on special teams: penalties drawn by Murphy and others led to prime scoring looks, and the power play did its job. Kendall Coyne Schofield chipped in with two second-period goals, and the offense rolled through a roughly 25-minute span where Italy barely registered a threat.
What coaches will be watching next
This win gives the U.S. momentum, but the tests get tougher from here. Coaches will be keeping tabs on a few simple things:
– How long the team holds the puck in the offensive zone.
– Whether they keep limiting high-danger chances against.
– The penalty differential — drawing more than you give up matters.
– Power-play efficiency and disciplined penalty killing.
If those basics stay locked in, the tactics that worked in Milan should scale against stronger opponents. If opponents crank up the forecheck and tighten the neutral zone, the staff will have to tweak matchups and line minutes — and the team will need to stay smart about where and when they get physical.
Abbey Murphy: the spark and the spoiler
Twenty-three-year-old Abbey Murphy was the kind of nuisance every defense hates — lethal around the net and relentless at baiting penalties. She scored, tested Italy’s goalie with dangerous chances, and repeatedly pulled defenders out of position so her linemates could find space. Murphy’s ability to win puck battles and draw infractions helped turn small moments into extended pressure for the U.S.0
Abbey Murphy: the spark and the spoiler
Twenty-three-year-old Abbey Murphy was the kind of nuisance every defense hates — lethal around the net and relentless at baiting penalties. She scored, tested Italy’s goalie with dangerous chances, and repeatedly pulled defenders out of position so her linemates could find space. Murphy’s ability to win puck battles and draw infractions helped turn small moments into extended pressure for the U.S.1