Nova Scotia hockey history was made Tuesday at the Kwandong Hockey Centre in Gangneung, South Korea.

Jillian Saulnier scored a goal for Team Canada in their 4-1 win over Finland and became the first female player from Nova Scotia to score a goal in Olympic play.

"That was a pretty special moment for sure," said Saulnier. "I know all the girls were jumping up and down on the bench and to have my mom up in the stands was pretty exciting too."

Saulnier used her explosive speed to break free from defenders late in the second period and score on a breakaway, beating Finland's goaltender cleanly on the stick side.

The 25-year-old forward from Halifax now has a goal and an assist in Canada's first two round-robin games.

"We've been preparing for what feels like forever for this," said Saulnier, who played on boys teams as a minor hockey player with the Halifax Hawks. "To be able to go out there and showcase our skills on this stage is very special."

Saulnier is the first female hockey player from Nova Scotia to score at the Olympics. (Matt Slocum/Associated Press)

Saulnier and Blayre Turnbull of Stellarton are the first two players from Nova Scotia to play for Canada in women's hockey at the Olympics.

"All I can say is to have one of our girls score is pretty cool," said Darren Cossar, executive director of Hockey Nova Scotia. "We all know what Sid [Crosby] has done on the male side of things, but to see one of our female players score a goal like that was nice."

Canada's next game, their final game in the round robin, is against their archrivals from the United States. The game is being played Thursday, but due to the time difference begins late Wednesday night Atlantic time.

Canada has already clinched a berth in the semifinals.

The Canadian women are after a fifth-straight Olympic title.