The USA hit back with two goals late in the final period to ensure a nervy finish, but Canada held on.

"This is redemption," said captain Marie-Philip Poulin, who scored twice.

"It was one hell of an effort. It's just so good. It's a great feeling."

• Follow Winter Olympics day 13

The final hooter sparked scenes of jubilation among the Canada players, who were outshot 40-21 during the game and were desperately clinging on as the USA poured forward in the final seconds.

This was the seventh women's ice hockey gold medal match - and the sixth time it has been played put between Canada and the USA. The Canadians reclaimed the Olympic title after the agony of that shootout defeat in 2018 ended their run of four successive gold medals.

Finland defeated Switzerland 4-0 on Wednesday to take bronze.

Shiffrin crashes out again

American two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin will leave the Games without an individual medal after crashing out of the alpine skiing combined - the third event in which she has failed to finish.

Shiffrin, 26, had already skied out of both the slalom and giant slalom but was well-fancied to win gold in the combined event after finishing fifth fastest in the morning's downhill leg.

But returning to the Ice River course, where she had skied out in the other two events, the six-time world champion missed a gate and skied off the course yet again.

It means Shiffrin misses the chance to equal Julia Mancuso's American female skiing record of four Olympic medals.

Combined specialist Michelle Gisin of Switzerland defended her title won in Pyeongchang four years ago, Switzerland's fifth gold in alpine skiing at the Beijing Games.

Gisin's team-mate and two-time former world champion Wendy Holdener claimed silver, while Italy's Federica Brignone took bronze.

Smith demoted as Maier claims bronze

Switzerland's Fanny Smith controversially missed out on a bronze medal in the women's ski cross after judges ruled she had deliberately hampered Germany's Daniela Maier, who crossed the line in fourth.

The skiers were forced to wait for several minutes while the judges reviewed the incident, which saw Smith's leg stick out and block Maier from overtaking.

Maier was eventually promoted to the bronze medal position but appeared to disagree with the decision when it was announced, shaking her head and indicating that Smith, who claimed bronze at Pyeongchang, deserved the place on the podium instead.

Sweden's Sandra Naeslund, who won nine of 10 World Cup races this season, won gold, with Marielle Thompson of Canada taking silver.