Canada beat its American rival 2-0 to win the women's hockey gold medal in a third straight Olympics.

Marie-Philip Poulin scored two goals and Shannon Szabados made 28 saves Thursday before a raucous Vancouver crowd ringing cowbells and waving thousands of maple leaf flags.

After Poulin's two first-period scores, the Canadians dominated every aspect of the biggest game in this young sport, earning their 15th straight Olympic victory.

Playing with a consistency and passion its men's team hopes to emulate this weekend, Canada hasn't lost at the Olympics since 1998, when the Americans won their first women's gold.