USA’s Frankel sets Olympic shutout record in semifinal win
If there were ever any questions about whether the Professional Women’s Hockey League would impact the Olympic women’s hockey tournament, look no further than Aerin Frankel between the pipes for the United States.
On Monday, Frankel, who has been dominant with the Boston Fleet in 2025-26, made 23 saves against Sweden to secure her third shutout at the Milan Cortina 2026 tournament, becoming the first goalie to reach that mark in the history of Olympic women’s hockey.
USA posted five goals at the other end, led by a goal and assist from University of Minnesota standout Abby Murphey, to secure the 5-0 victory and clinch a spot in Thursday’s gold medal game against Canada or Switzerland.
They didn’t just break the record. They shattered it. 💥 Gwyneth Philips and Aerin Frankel lead a streak that beat the all-time Olympic record by 86 minutes, 23 seconds. #WinterOlympics
“The team is playing so well defensively, they are making my job easy by making the plays in front of me so predictable so I can do my job,” Frankel said after the game, with the USA also riding an Olympic-record 331-minute and 23-second shutout streak. “It’s definitely hard sometimes to stay engaged. [I try to] play the puck when I can and to get involved.”
Frankel’s form has translated directly onto the Olympic stage after shining in the PWHL since the league’s inaugural season. This year, she boasts a .946 save percentage through 13 games, allowing just 18 goals on 336 shots.
On the Olympic stage, she now holds a .985 save percentage, allowing only one goal on 68 shots faced. Overall, the Americans are outsourcing their opponents 36-1 through the tournament.
Now, she brings that dominant form into the gold medal game, where she hopes to backstop the Americans to their first Olympic title since 2018 and their second in program history.
“I want it so much. I want it more than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life. The whole team feels the same way. This has been our end goal, and we’re one step from that,” she added. “Anytime I put on the jersey, I just feel so lucky to be part of this group. There is so much talent in our locker room. It’s just so much fun to play with the best players in the world.”