Murphy registers a goal and an assist in Team USA shutout of Finland
Two-time Olympian Abbey Murphy continued to impact the United States women’s hockey team at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
A physical presence in Thursday’s opener against Czechia, the Evergreen Park native had a goal and an assist in another dominant performance by Team USA, which beat Finland 5-0 Saturday in preliminary-round action at the Rho Ice Hockey Arena in Milan.
With Team USA (2-0) leading 1-0 after one period, in the third minute of the second period Murphy joined a 3-on-1 opportunity. Skating down center ice, Britta Curl passed to Murphy on the right wing. Murphy sent the puck to Taylor Heise on the left, and Heise beat Finnish goalie Sanni Ahola on the short side for a 2-0 lead at the 17:29 mark.
Murphy added the game’s final goal, her first as an Olympian, with 4:04 left in the game. After Curl’s faceoff win Murphy skated from the left boards to the front of the goal and jammed in a rebound of a shot by Caroline Harvey.
Skating on the second line and joining Team USA’s top power play unit, Murphy had 3 shots on goal and was a plus-2 in 13:01 of ice time.
Four-time Olympian Kendall Coyne Schofield of Palos Heights was a plus-1 with 3 shots in 16:03 over 20 shifts. After a lengthy second-period offensive possession Coyne Schofield drew a holding penalty on Finland’s Ronja Savolainen that led to Hilary Knight’s power-play goal.
At 4:41 of the first period Alex Carpenter scored her second power-play goal of the tournament and her 10th in three Olympic Games.
The United States got second-period goals by Heise, Megan Keller and Knight for a 4-0 lead after two periods. It was the second straight game Team USA scored 3 second-period goals, duplicating its Olympic opener against Czechia in Thursday’s 5-1 victory.
Knight’s 14th goal in her fifth Olympic Games tied Natalie Darwitz and Katie King for the all-time United States lead. Carpenter’s 10th goal tied Downers Grove product Cammi Granato at fifth all-time.
Finland (0-1) saw its first game of the tournament against Canada on Thursday postponed to Feb. 12 after a virus swept through its roster.
The United States took 49 shots to Finland’s 11 in goaltender Aerin Frankel’s shutout win. Team USA had six power-play opportunities to none for Finland.
The United States has outshot its opponents 91-24 through two games. Team USA plays its third preliminary Monday against Switzerland before facing Canada on Tuesday.