Winning has become routine for the United States women’s team at the 2026 Milano Cortina. Yet even in a six-goal shutout, irritation found its way to the bench.
As Team USA moves deeper into the bracket, the focus in a recent shutout win was more on how games are managed on the ice. That tension spilled over after the quarterfinal game against Italy.
John Wroblewski criticizes officiating after Team USA’s win over Italy
The United States defeated Italy 6-0 in the quarterfinals at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena, punching its ticket to the final four at Milano Cortina 2026. Megan Keller opened the scoring late in the first period with a one-timer from the point. Kendall Coyne Schofield added two goals in the second, while Laila Edwards, Britta Curl-Salemme, and Hannah Bilka each found the net.
The Americans overwhelmed Italy with a 51-6 shot advantage. Gwyneth Philips stopped all six attempts she faced, recording the shutout. Italian goaltender Gabriella Durante kept the score respectable early, turning aside 19 of 20 shots in the first period and finishing with 45 saves on 51 shots.
Despite the lopsided score, the temperature rose late in the second frame. Bilka’s goal at 18:27 made it 6-0, but she fell into Durante at the crease. A scrum followed behind the net, with Abbey Murphy and Franziska Stocker exchanging pushes. Officials assessed matching minors, part of 10 total penalties in the game.
Afterward, head coach John Wroblewski voiced frustration with the officiating. He argued that physical play from less skilled teams often goes unchecked, while similar actions by his roster would lead straight to the penalty box.
“They’re not supposed to be able to remove a player from the puck with any type of force except while playing the puck,” Wroblewski said. “And you just see it time and time again, a team that’s maybe not as deep or skilled or as athletic as some of the players are allowed to hold up and blatantly break the rules.
“Meanwhile, if those same players played against the opponent the same way, as physical and as determined, they’d be going to the box every single time.”
The victory continued a commanding Olympic run for the American women’s team. The U.S. opened with a 5-1 win over Czechia, then secured three straight 5-0 shutouts against Finland, Switzerland, and Canada before blanking Italy. Across five games, the Americans have outscored opponents 26-1, showing their pure dominance.
Now they are headed to the semifinal at Santagiulia Arena, and the U.S. carries both momentum and a warning. As competition gets more intense, consistency from officials will matter and surely draw attention.
