Winter Olympics 2026: Hilary Knight ties record in U.S. rout of Finland

MILAN — The only drama late in Saturday night’s U.S. women’s hockey victory had little to do with the final score.

All eyes were trained on Hilary Knight to see if the 36-year-old American star could make some more Olympic history.

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For a split second early in the third period of the U.S.’s 5-0 rout of Finland, it looked like Knight might tie and break the American record for goals scored at the Olympics all in the same game. Knight was camped out all alone to the left of the crease when teammate Alex Carpenter teed her up with a slick pass from just a few feet away.

Knight tried to direct the puck into the open half of the net … and came up empty. It was about the only thing that went wrong for the Americans on a night when they outshot Finland 49-11 and had five different players score goals.

One period earlier, Knight scored her 14th career Olympic goal, tying the American record held by Natalie Darwitz and Katie King. Knight did it in style too, taking a feed from teammate Laila Edwards and beating Finnish goalie Sanni Ahola short-side top corner.

It would be fitting if Knight is able to break the American record during what she has announced will be her final Winter Games. For 20 years, the five-time Olympian has been the heartbeat of U.S. women’s hockey, providing steady leadership and filling up the box score while also spearheading her sport’s growth.

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While Knight has announced this will be her final Olympics, she has demonstrated that this will not be a ceremonial farewell tour. She now has two goals in two games, having also scored in the U.S.’s 5-1 victory in its opening game of group play against Czechia on Thursday.

When asked if the U.S. team wanted to get Knight her record-breaking goal in the third period on Saturday, forward Taylor Heise admitted the answer was, “yes, 100%”

“But I don’t think that Hilary really cares,” Heise continued. “I just think she wants to win.”

There was concern entering Saturday that Finland might have to face the U.S. shorthanded, but the Finns had recovered from the norovirus outbreak that forced the postponement of their match against Canada two days earlier. They had a full complement of players available, not that it made much difference on the scoreboard.

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For a team that dominated on the scoreboard Saturday, the Americans did not come away fully satisfied with their performance. They were especially disappointed at having wasted a flurry of power-play opportunities.

When the U.S. has an extra player advantage, Heise often plays a game with her teammates on the bench.

“I’m usually guessing who the goal is going to come from,” she said.

On Saturday, the U.S. converted two power-play chances but failed to do so four other times.

“I’m really not happy with that at all,” Heise said. “I think we have to keep driving pucks. When we drive pucks and out-speed people, it’s honestly insane.”

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The U.S. will have a chance to right that wrong in two days against Switzerland. And Knight will have her next chance to break the goal-scoring record.

“It would definitely be special,” Carpenter said. “Especially since everyone will  be able to experience it with her.”