The United States women’s hockey team has showcased its undeniable strength during the 2026 Winter Olympics, winning every match so far, including a decisive 6-0 victory against Italy in the quarterfinals. Despite the dominating performance, head coach John Wroblewski expressed dissatisfaction with the officiating, highlighting concerns about inconsistency in how teams are penalized.
Tensions flared late in the second period when Hannah Bilka scored the sixth goal for Team USA and landed on top of Italian goaltender Gabriella Durante. This incident ignited a scuffle behind the net involving players from both teams, particularly Abbey Murphy from the U.S. and Franziska Stocker from Italy, leading to matching minor penalties for both players.
Wroblewski was vocal about his frustrations, noting that certain teams seem to be permitted to engage in rougher play without repercussions while others face stricter enforcement of the rules. “They’re not supposed to be able to remove a player from the puck with any type of force except while playing the puck,” he explained. “You just see it time and time again; teams that are less deep, skilled, or athletic are allowed to break the rules with impunity, while the same physicality by our players would lead to penalties.”
Forward Taylor Heise, who contributed with an assist in the match, remarked on the necessity of adapting to the game’s flow against Italy, describing the atmosphere as “a little spicy.” She emphasized that the team is committed to playing whatever style of hockey is necessary to secure victory.
Regardless of the contentious moments on the ice, the U.S. women’s team is poised to advance to the semifinals, with their prospects for securing the gold medal appearing increasingly bright.