Milan — The United States captured the women’s Olympic hockey gold at the Milan Cortina Games with a 2-1 overtime win over Canada, a classic showdown that came down to one decisive play. Megan Keller finished a long breakout with a backhand at 4:07 of sudden-death extra time, sending the American bench and fans into a delirious celebration and capping a 7-0 tournament run.
Canada struck first, when Kristin O’Neill dug out a short-handed goal 54 seconds into the second period, the first time the U.S. had been scored on in Milan. Both goalies answered the bell all night: Aerin Frankel made 30 saves for the United States and Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped 31 for Canada, keeping the margin razor thin.
With the clock ticking down in regulation, coach John Wroblewski pulled Frankel for an extra attacker. The gamble paid off. At 2:04 remaining, captain Hilary Knight redirected a Laila Edwards slap shot through the crease to tie the game — Knight’s 15th Olympic goal and 33rd Olympic point, both new U.S. records. The score forced a 3-on-3 overtime period, where space opened up and speed ruled.
Early in the extra session, chances swung both ways until Taylor Heise sent a long pass that released Keller into open ice. Keller beat Claire Thompson to the slot and snapped a backhand past the goaltender’s right pad to end the game at 4:07. Teammates mobbed her on the ice; she later called the moment “lost for words.”
The victory gives the United States its third Olympic title in women’s hockey (joining 1998 and ) and cements a dominant tournament line: 7-0 record and a combined score of 33-2. Canada, a five-time Olympic champion, earned silver in a game that underscored how closely matched these programs remain.
Beyond the medal, the tournament highlighted emerging names and milestones. Laila Edwards became the first Black woman to play for the U.S. Olympic hockey team, while several younger players gained invaluable experience on the sport’s biggest stage. Coaches on both sides praised defensive structure and special-teams execution as decisive throughout the event.
Officials and team statements noted that the late drama — O’Neill’s short-handed strike, Knight’s last-minute tip, and Keller’s overtime winner — will be replayed for years and will shape preparations for the next international cycle. For now, the Americans leave Milan with the gold, a flawless record, and a memorable result in one of women’s hockey’s great rivalries.
