The United States won the first women’s hockey gold medal in 1998, and Canada has won every one since then. The countries have faced each other in all but one gold medal game — 2006 was the lone exception, when the United States fell to Sweden in the semifinals. They have played each other in all 20 world championship finals. The United States has won the last four.

Here at the Olympics, excluding their group-stage game against each other, the United States and Canada have outscored opponents by 27-2, combined.

“A battle for the ages, as usual,” Jenner said. “It’s one of the best rivalries in hockey. Not much more you can say.”

The teams faced each other five times in a fall tournament and a tour to prepare for the Olympics, with Canada winning three. Canada won in group play here, 2-1, though the American women took some solace in outshooting the Canadians, 45-23.

Asked what the United States needed to do to turn the score around in the gold medal game, Kessel stated the obvious. “Bury our chances,” she said. “If we come and play like that again, I feel really good about our chances.”

The United States team comes into the game trying to take advantage of a new style that emphasizes puck possession and crisscrossing the ice until a seam opens, allowing a player to slice through the defense and attack the goal. The Canadians have a more traditional approach, in which they try to get the puck into the opponent’s end and keep it there. They are strong, fast and skilled.

“Everyone’s plans are falling into place,” said Laura Schuler, the Canadian coach, who played against the United States in 1998 for the gold medal. “You have two great opponents at the end. It’s awesome.”

For the Americans, it will be awesome only if this game goes the way that 1998 game did.

“That’s always been our dream, to follow up the 1998 Olympic team; they’ve been our leaders and our great role models,” goaltender Maddie Rooney said. “It would mean everything for us.”