MILAN – In 2018, Hayley Scamurra was pursuing her graduate studies in speech-language pathology, residing with her parents, and playing for the Buffalo Beauts in the NWHL.
At that time in December, the last thing on Scamurra’s mind was receiving her first invitation to a U.S. Women’s National Team camp, much less the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
However, a phone call transformed her trajectory, as Scamurra netted two goals for the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team Thursday afternoon at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena, propelling Team USA to a 5-1 win over Czechia.
“At that moment, I genuinely thought, ‘I’ll just enjoy my time with the Buffalo Beauts, my local team, and once I finish grad school, I’ll be done with hockey,’” Scamurra reflected. “That’s really what I believed would happen. I had no idea I was even on USA’s radar. I was completely surprised when that occurred.
“I just gave it my all. I thought, ‘I have nothing to lose. Let’s just go for it.’”
Listen in as Hayley Scamurra reflects on her two-goal night and the #WinterOlympics opener! pic.twitter.com/vUTI5bQBRt
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 5, 2026
Scamurra utilized that camp invitation to secure a position on the roster for the Americans during the 2019 Rivalry Series against Canada. Subsequently, she was selected for the U.S. Women’s National Team that clinched a gold medal at the 2019 IIHF Women’s World Championship – marking her first of three World Championship gold medals – and earned a spot at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
The 31-year-old’s path to the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team serves as a reminder that not every young hockey player will be an all-star at age 12. Scamurra’s performance on Thursday as the team’s 13th forward was yet another reason why many of her teammates and coaches continue to commend her.
“It’s truly inspiring,” stated team captain Hilary Knight, who is now one goal shy of tying the U.S. all-time record of 14 career goals at the Olympics after scoring during the second period. “It demonstrates that if you never give up and seize the opportunity when it arises – (you) make the most of it. Scams embodies that for us. You can place her anywhere. It is a testament to her skill and her effort today, and she was able to capitalize on nearly everything that came her way. I was hoping she would score a third.”
John Wroblewski, head coach of the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team, emphasized from the outset of this Olympic cycle that Scamurra was a player essential to the U.S. squad.
“I made it clear to her that we weren’t going to Milan without her at the start of this cycle,” Wroblewski remarked. “She brings so much energy to the team. I can’t speak for other federations, but I can’t imagine anyone works harder or desires it more than she does.
“There are certain players who are at the pinnacle of their abilities, and she is the hardest-working, most determined player who perhaps wants to be here more than anyone else.”
Scamurra, whose father, Peter, played for the Washington Capitals, began playing hockey at the age of 4 on the family’s backyard rink in Buffalo, New York, alongside her older brothers and participated in youth hockey for teams such as the Wheatfield Blades and Buffalo Bison in upstate New York. By the time she was 10, she asserted that she would one day become an Olympian.
Currently, she competes professionally for the Montreal Victoire in the PWHL and aspires for other young female hockey players to stay dedicated to their Olympic ambitions, even when it may seem like time is running out.
It is natural to experience doubts, but that does not signify the end of the journey.
“The main thing I tell younger players is that everyone has their own path, and that journey is meant for you and for me,” Scamurra stated. “I wasn’t destined to be in the U.S. program starting at age 15, right? That’s perfectly fine. I stopped attending camps after I was 14, and it simply wasn’t meant for me at that time. Perhaps I wasn’t ready mentally or physically. Who knows? But I’m grateful that I joined later in life. I believe it was the right time for me.”
There is no better moment than now for Scamurra in Milan. She has already exceeded her entire points total from the 2022 Olympics in under 7 minutes of ice time, and the U.S. is on its way in pursuit of its first gold medal since 2018.
“It was amazing,” Scamurra expressed. “We were all so thrilled to finally get the first game underway. We were all dressed in the locker room much earlier than usual, and you could sense that everyone was eager to get started. I am just really proud of how we performed; we were a bit nervous at times, but we transformed that into excitement and positive energy, and we played an outstanding game, so it’s fantastic.
“Honestly, whenever I step onto the ice, I aim to bring as much energy as I can to the team, and being able to contribute is the icing on the cake.”
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