Getzville's Hayley Scamurra Wins Olympic Gold Over Canada

When Hayley Scamurra scored in the Olympic semifinal game, she looked over and saw exactly what she'd dreamed of since childhood: her family right behind the bench, celebrating like they were on the ice with her.

The 31-year-old from Getzville helped Team USA's women's hockey team capture Olympic gold in February with an overtime victory over Canada in Milan, Italy. It was redemption after falling short of gold against Canada four years earlier in Beijing.

"To finally win that gold, the ultimate prize, standing with the teammates, when the anthem was playing, we're all arm in arm singing it," Scamurra told WBEN Radio. "All the emotions are flooding in at that point."

Scamurra contributed three goals and played a key role despite limited ice time, averaging just over nine minutes per game across seven contests. But the statistics don't capture the moment that mattered most to her.

"I see my dad, he's pointing at me. I see my mom, she's crying," she recalled. "It just hits how big the moment is, and how much work and sacrifice they put into it to let me follow my dreams."

The journey to that podium started in Buffalo, where Scamurra grew up playing boys hockey, often as the only girl on her team for years. Every early morning practice, every sacrifice her family made, led to that golden moment in Milan.

Having her boyfriend, brothers, and parents there made the victory even sweeter. "You don't want to be alone when you're in those moments," she said. "You want to celebrate with your people."

The Ripple Effect

The American women's gold medal victory inspired the men's team, who went on to defeat Canada in their own overtime thriller days later. It marked Team USA's first men's Olympic hockey gold since the Miracle on Ice in 1980.

"After we had won gold, they're like, 'Oh my god, that was so much fun to watch. Now we want to go do that,'" Scamurra said. The women's team watched the men's final on their phones, erupting when the winning goal was scored.

The double gold showed how far women's sports has come, with mutual respect flowing between both teams. Scamurra even connected with Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson, who represented Team USA in Milan, strengthening the Western New York hockey community's Olympic presence.

The 2025-26 season gave Scamurra two championships to cherish forever, combining Olympic glory with professional success in a year she'll never forget.