Canada’s Poulin returns, ties Olympic goals record

MILAN – Whether Canada would save captain Marie-Philip Poulin for the Olympic women’s hockey semifinals or play her against Germany was a question heading into Saturday’s quarterfinal.

Given that Canada was the heavy favourite, it wouldn’t have been a surprise for Poulin to sit out a third straight game to conserve her right knee injured earlier in the tournament.

But the captain took the opening faceoff in Canada’s 5-1 win over the Germans to advance, and scored her 18th career goal in Olympic Games to tie the record held by her former teammate Hayley Wickenheiser.

“The skates I had the last couple of days to see how I was feeling, waking up in the morning, it was not worse, and having open conversation with the physio, with the doc, with our coaches, the thing is, they trust me, I trust them,” Poulin said.

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Poulin got her first game action Saturday after Kristyna Kaltounkova checked her hard into the boards midway through Monday’s first period of a 5-1 win over Czechia.

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She sat out a 5-0 loss to the United States and a 5-0 win over Finland in Group A.

Poulin logged 12 minutes 41 seconds of ice time over 19 shifts Saturday.

“We didn’t really finally make the decision until our pre-game meeting. It was very late,” Canadian head coach Troy Ryan said.

“She probably convinced us more than I was excited to play her. I thought maybe another day. But medical has reassured us that there’s no risk and we weren’t putting her in a bad situation.”

Poulin’s knee was tested within the first five minutes Saturday as she chased down Laura Kluge on a short-handed breakaway, after the German stripped Renata Fast of the puck.

“I didn’t like the fact that we had that turnover early and she had to get back because that really tested her leg,” Ryan said. “I think she forgot about the injury on that one and just kind went for it.”

Seven of Poulin’s 18 goals were scored across four Olympic finals, which makes her the only player, male or female, to do so.

The 33-year-old from Beauceville, Que., has scored three game-winners in Olympic women’s finals.

Ryan says the decision to play Poulin on Saturday was a joint decision involving himself, the medical staff, general manager Gina Kingsbury and then Poulin herself.

“I have to blindly trust a lot of people,” the coach said. “The medical staff knows a lot more about these things than I do.

“My final conversation today after our pre-game meal was with Poulin. Told her ‘I’m good either way. I’m good if you sit out, I’m good if you play. We’ve got to decide what’s best for you.'”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2026.

Note to readers:This is a corrected story. A previous version incorrectly said Poulin set an international goals record sted of an Olympic record