The U.S. and Canada delivered another instant classic in the 2026 Winter Olympics gold medal game. Thanks to Megan Keller, Team USA pulled out an exhilarating 2-1 overtime win to cap off a dominant run at the 2026 Winter Olympics and win the third gold medal in team history.
Just over four minutes into the overtime period, Keller danced around Canadian Claire Thompson and flipped a slick shot over the right pad of Ann-Renee Desbiens to send the Americans into a frenzy.
While the Americans' youth carried them for most of this tournament, a couple of veterans came through when it mattered the most. Keller, a three-time Olympian, scored the game-winner, but another American icon kept the team alive with their gold medal hopes dwindling.
For over half the game, it looked like Canada would hold onto a 1-0 win thanks to a shorthanded goal from Kristin O'Neill early in the second period, but the U.S. broke through just in time. Hilary Knight tied the game with 2:03 left in regulation, a goal that gave her the U.S. women's career records for Olympic goals and points.
As the U.S. fought to tie the game, goaltender Aerin Frankel provided some clutch saves to keep her team within striking distance. Frankel turned away 30 of the 31 Canadian shots she faced, and she had to stand on her head at times when Canada was pressing to extend its lead in the second period.
Team USA has now won the gold medal in two of the last three Olympics, and it extends its winning streak against Canada in all international play to eight games. The Americans also capped off a truly dominant run through the 2026 Olympics in which they allowed just two goals and finished with a plus-29 goal differential.
Throughout her 19 years with USA Hockey, Knight has made a tremendous impact, and she got a fitting end to her final Olympic appearance.
Knight entered the tournament on the cusp of the career records for Olympic goals and points by an American woman. She tied both through the first four games with two goals and two assists. Sitting on the doorstep of history, it looked like Knight might end her Olympic career with a silver medal and tied atop the record books, which wouldn't have been a bad consolation prize.
As it turned out, Knight was saving her record-breaking goal for when the Americans needed it most. For much of the game, the 36-year-old Knight looked more poised than some of her younger teammates. That was certainly the case with just over two minutes remaining in regulation and the puck flying toward Knight in front of the Canadian net. Knight got just enough of it to tie the game at 1-1 and make some history in the process.
Thanks to Megan Keller's jaw-dropping overtime goal, Knight ended her Olympic career with two gold medals and two U.S. women's hockey records. Between Knight's accomplishments at the University of Wisconsin, her efforts in the PWHL and her status as an American hockey legend, they can start etching her Hockey Hall of Fame plaque now.
Keller's game-winning goal was absolutely gorgeous. The veteran defender isn't exactly known for being an offensive force, but she saw a chance to end the game in 3-on-3 overtime, and didn't miss it.
After getting the puck on the left wall in the neutral zone, Keller noticed that Claire Thompson was closing on her aggressively. In fact, Thompson was pursuing Keller a little too aggressively considering she didn't have any help behind her. Keller then slid the puck through the triangle (Thompson's stick and her feet) and jumped around the Canadian defender.
Then, with Thompson diving at her feet in a desperate move to break up the scoring chance, Keller unleashed a strong backhand shot that caught a piece of Desbiens' glove but had enough steam to bounce into the net.
That play took a lot of skill and a good amount of guts. If Keller gets her pocket picked by Thompson in that situation, the Canadians are going the other way on an odd-woman rush, and one of Team USA's best defenders would be chasing the play.
Much like Knight, Keller has a lot of Olympic experience, and it showed on the winning goal. Keller's poise and puck handling in a high-leverage situation were the difference in overtime.
Through the first six games of the tournament, the Americans were a machine. They dismantled one opponent after the next, and rolled into the gold medal game on an impressive run. Team USA had outscored opponents 31-1, and its combination of defense and goaltending had rendered opposing offenses helpless.
The game looked easy for Team USA throughout 90% of its run in the tournament. Then, suddenly, it got very difficult on Thursday.
And for the first time in Milan, the Americans absorbed a gut punch. O'Neill's shorthanded goal early in the second period Canada ahead and Team USA on its back foot. It initially seemed like a squad that looked like a juggernaut for the first 360 minutes of hockey wouldn't be able to respond.
But the Americans kept pressing. They got some scoring chances late in the second period, and they spent most of the third period in the Canadian zone, even if the struggled to get shots through on Desbiens. Finally, when the pressure was at its highest, the U.S. answered the bell with its two biggest goals of the tournament.
A team that had breezed through its first six games showed that it could also dig deep for a gutsy performance when needed.
What a move from Megan Keller! The veteran defender saw her opportunity to end the game and took it. She walked around Canadian defender Claire Thompson and flipped the puck over the right pad of Desbiens to win it for the Americans.
The U.S. and Canada will now play 3-on-3 sudden death overtime for 20 minutes. If neither team scores, we'll go to a shootout. If you thought the first 60 minutes were thrilling, that's nothing compared to what we're about to witness. In the previous two gold medal games that went to extra time, the U.S. and Canada split them, each going 1-1.
Let's determine a gold medal winner.
Hilary Knight set two United States women's Olympic records with her dramatic goal against Canada.
Knight broke the American women's record for career goals previously held by Natalie Darwitz and Katie King. In the process, she also broke the record for most career Olympic points in U.S. women's hockey history. Now at 33 points, she broke the record previously held by Jenny Potter (32 points -- 11 goals, 21 assists). Knight entered the final with 14 goals and 18 assists.
Thanks to the efforts of Hilary Knight, the women's gold medal game is going to overtime. That's not unusual for this rivalry, which has needed overtime to decide the gold medal winner twice already in its history. We'll now go to 20 minutes of sudden death 3-on-3 overtime. and if no one scores, the fame will be decided by a shootout.
Buckle up, everyone.
Who else would it be? Hilary Knight, now the U.S. women's Olympic record-holder in goals and points, comes up big for the Americans when they needed her most. With the American net empty, Knight planted herself in front of Desbiens and tipped home a point shot to level the score at 1-1.
The clock is ticking on Team USA's gold medal chances, and Britta Curl-Salemme just took a boarding penalty to give Canada a power play with 6:23 remaining. Even if the Americans kill this off, they'll only have 4:23 left to tie the game.
