In a thrilling, late-game comeback, Team USA’s women’s hockey won 2-1 in overtime over Team Canada to win gold at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan.
The finale of the women’s tournament in Milan featured the typical lower-scoring game that the United States and Canada have typically combined for in gold medal games. But with the comeback and heroics by several members of Team USA, this game is an instant classic in American hockey.
The game was nothing like the preliminary matchup between North American neighbors. In their first meeting in Milan, the Americans blanked Canada 5-0, dominating them in every facet of the game. That loss was a wake-up call for the Canadians, who are rarely so soundly beaten on the ice.
Despite that setback to Team USA, the Canadians worked their way back for a rematch against the Americans. They rebounded with a 5-0 win over Finland before defeating Germany in the quarterfinals and sending Switzerland to the bronze medal game.
When that rematch finally came around, medals were on the line.
Meanwhile, the Americans were dominant throughout the entire tournament. Behind an amazing defensive core and stellar goaltending from Aerin Frankel, the Americans surrendered just one goal in their opening game to Czechia. From there, they ran the table with five straight shutouts — all games they won by at least five goals — before a rematch with the Canadians in the final.
In the gold medal game, Canada was more than eager to avenge their preliminary loss, especially with the crown of Olympic prizes on the line. They were able to give Team USA its first true adversity in this tournament. The Americans weren’t able to push the play as they could in all of their other games, and Team Canada was able to really find the edge when Kristin O’Neill scored shorthanded to put the Canadians ahead 1-0.
Canada controlled the play for about the first 58 minutes of this game, stifling the Americans at every turn. But in desperation time, the Americans pulled their goalie for the extra attacker. Off a face-off win in the offensive zone, Team USA was able to whip the puck around, scrambling the Canadian defense just enough to get the puck up to the point.
This American team combined some of the biggest pillars of women’s hockey with some of the game’s fastest-growing stars. Nowhere was that better on display than on Team USA’s game-tying goal.
After Megan Keller passed the puck to Laila Edwards on the point, the 19-year-old out of the University of Wisconsin fired it towards the net. Her shot was placed in a good enough position for Hilary Knight, the 36-year-old American captain, to deflect it past Ann-Renée Desbiens to tie the game.
From there, the momentum shifted towards the stars and stripes. Coming out of the overtime intermission, the Americans looked much more alive. They had the edge in shots, and 3-on-3 play gave them much more open ice to attack the Canadian end.
Then, just a hair over four minutes into overtime, defenseman and alternate captain Megan Keller received an outlet pass up the ice from Taylor Heise. One-on-one against Canadian defender Claire Thompson, Keller was able to juke her way through and charge towards the net, sneaking a backhand shot just through the pads of Desbiens to win gold.
As the goal horn from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” blared inside the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, Keller threw her stick and gloves up in the air as teammates rushed to celebrate.
For Canada, it’s heartbreak in Milan. Out of the three teams at the postgame ceremonies, only one could barely stomach the color of the medals they were awarded. It’s also an alarming signal of just how much the American program has improved. Team USA and Canada had met in six of the last seven gold medal games at the Olympics. An opponent they used to roll over has now won two of the last three golds.
For Team USA, winning a gold medal is a historic achievement in and of itself. But this is one of the most dominant runs in Olympic competition we will ever see. The American women never allowed more than one goal against in any game during this tournament, and outscored their opponents 33-2 en route to the program’s third gold medal win in women’s hockey. This was perhaps the most special team the Americans have ever iced.
And for Knight, the captain and a face of this winning team, it’s one of the highest points in one of the sport’s most decorated careers. The only hockey player — men or women — to appear in five Olympic Games for the United States, Knight’s game-tying goal made her the all-time leader in goals and points in the American women’s Olympic hockey program.
Knight scored her first Olympic goal 16 years ago in Vancouver. After previously saying her fifth trip to the Olympics was her last, Knight was asked after the game whether that goal was her last in Olympic play. Her response?
“We’ll see,” she said with a smile.
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