In what year did the first women's ice hockey tournament take place at the Winter Olympics?

Women's ice hockey (Deals) debuted at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, with the United States defeating Canada 3-1 in the gold medal game. The inclusion of women's hockey at the Olympics was a watershed moment that dramatically increased the sport's visibility and youth participation worldwide. Since that inaugural tournament, the rivalry between the American and Canadian women's hockey teams has produced some of the most thrilling moments in Olympic history.