VANCOUVER, British Columbia — They ambled back onto the ice an hour after the medal ceremony, swigging champagne and beer and smoking cigars. While Meghan Agosta and Marie-Philip Poulin posed for pictures with goofy grins, Rebecca Johnston tried to drive the ice-resurfacing machine.

Life is sweet when there's a gold medal hanging from your neck in your home rink.

Poulin scored two goals, Shannon Szabados made 28 saves, and Canada rolled through its American rivals, 2-0, to win the gold medal in women's hockey for the third straight Olympics last night in front of a raucous Vancouver crowd ringing cowbells and frantically 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. When time expired and the Canadians skated into a massive pile-up near their goal, several cheering fans threw flags over the glass to the players, who wrapped them around their shoulders like superheroes' capes.

"I looked up in the stands and saw a sign that said, 'Proud to be Canadian,' and that's what I am today," Szabados said. "My teammates were unbelievable today. We played a great game, and this is an incredible moment."

The IOC later said it would investigate the behavior of the Canadian women's hockey players during the celebration.

Gilbert Felli, the IOC's executive director of the Olympic Games, said he was unaware of the drinking and smoking until informed by an Associated Press reporter.

"If that's the case, that is not good," Felli said. "It is not what we want to see. I don't think it's a good promotion of sport values. If they celebrate in the changing room, that's one thing, but not in public."

Felli said the IOC would talk to the international ice hockey federation and the Canadian Olympic Committee to get more information.

Earlier, Finland won the bronze medal, beating Sweden, 3-2, in overtime.