COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey announced today that the gold medal-winning 2018 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team will visit multiple U.S. markets upon its return home in celebration of its momentous gold-medal victory at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
The team’s homecoming kicks off tomorrow (Feb. 26) as the U.S. women make their first stop in Los Angeles, where the team will tape an appearance on Ellen (air date is Tuesday, Feb. 27) and be honored at the Los Angeles Kings home game against the Vegas Golden Knights at the STAPLES Center. The team will also visit Tampa, Florida, Washington, D.C., and New York City, for media opportunities and appearances before players return to their home markets to continue the celebration.
The U.S. women have lived and trained in Wesley Chapel, Fla., in preparation for the Olympic Winter Games since Sept. 6, and will return to the Tampa area for local media opportunities and a welcome-home recognition at the Tampa Bay Lightning home game against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday (Feb. 28) at AMALIE Arena. The team will then travel up the coast to Washington, D.C., where it will visit the U.S. Department of State, engage in local youth and girls hockey activities, and attend the Washington Wizards-Toronto Raptors NBA game on Friday (March 2). In addition, as part of Hockey Weekend Across America, the team will be celebrated at the NHL Stadium Series game between the Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday (March 3) at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md.
The team will ultimately make its way up to New York City, where it will make an appearance at the U.S. women’s soccer game against France as part of the SheBelieves Cup in Harrison, N.J., on Sunday (March 4), before heading downtown for two days of media opportunities, including a guest appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on March 5 as well as various fan interactions, including a stop at the NHL Store NYC. In addition, the team will be honored at both New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils home games on March 6.
On March 7, players will begin to return to their respective hometowns, where they will continue to celebrate their gold-medal victory in their local markets.
NOTES: The 2018 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team defeated Canada, 3-2, in a shootout to win the gold medal on Thursday, Feb. 22, in Gangneung, South Korea. The victory gave the United States its second gold medal in women’s ice hockey after Team USA claimed the inaugural gold medal in the event at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. The U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team has medaled in all six Olympic appearances to date (gold – 1998, 2018; silver – 2002, 2010, 2014 and bronze – 2006) … The 11th annual Hockey Weekend Across America takes place March 2-4 across the country. Each day has a theme, including Wear Your Favorite Hockey Jersey Day on Friday (March 2); Try Hockey Day on Saturday (March 3) and Celebrate Local Hockey Heroes on Sunday (March 4). Hockey Weekend Across America was created by USA Hockey to celebrate the game and all involved and also to expose the game to new audiences.
