Megan Keller (Farmington Hills, Mich./Boston Fleet) scored the game-winning overtime goal as the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team defeated Canada, 2-1, to clinch the gold medal at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Taylor Heise (Lake City, Minn./Minnesota Frost) had the assist on the game-winner.
With the victory, Team USA closes the tournament undefeated with a record of 6-1-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L), outscoring opponents 33-2 through seven games. Today’s win clinched the U.S. its first run to Olympic gold without a loss since 1998.
“Winning gold here in Milan was the ultimate goal, and our group battled constantly to make that a reality,” said John Wroblewski (Neenah, Wis.), head coach of the 2026 U.S. Olympic Women’s Hockey Team. “From our veteran leadership to our first-time Olympians, this team came together to accomplish something greater than themselves. I couldn’t be more proud.”
U.S. netminder Aerin Frankel (Chappaqua, N.Y./Boston Fleet) denied a strong Canadian opportunity with 6:40 to play in the opening period, sliding across her crease to deny a point-blank shot.
Canada scored the game’s first goal 54 seconds into the middle stanza, as Kristin O’Neill found the back of the net on a shorthanded two-on-one opportunity.
Hannah Bilka (Coppell, Texas/Seattle Torrent) nearly tied the contest at 4:35 after a pair of passes Heise (Lake City, Minn./Minnesota Frost) and Abbey Murphy (Evergreen Park, Ill./University of Minnesota), but her shot sailed high.
Haley Winn (Rochester, N.Y./Boston Fleet) snapped a shot on goal following a chaotic play that almost found the back of the net, but the chance was denied by Canadian goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens with 12:29 to play.
Frankel kept her team within one with a stellar, sprawling pad save on a deflected shot with 4:55 left in the frame.
Frankel came up large again for the U.S. with 3:02 left in the third, sliding across her crease to deny a one-timer from the left faceoff circle. She closed the game with 30 saves.
Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho/Seattle Torrent) found the equalizer with Frankel pulled for an extra attacker and 2:04 remaining, deflecting a shot from Laila Edwards (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/University of Wisconsin) past Desbiens.
Knight’s tally marked her 15th-career Olympic goal and 33rd-career Olympic point, breaking the U.S. Olympic Women’s hockey record for all-time goals and points.
Regulation expired with the game knotted at 1-1, which forced the game to 3-on-3 overtime. The matchup marked the third gold medal game between the teams to enter overtime in Olympic history (2014, 2018).
Keller clinched Team USA’s third all-time Olympic gold medal 4:07 into the overtime period, skating past a Canadian defender and backhanding a shot that beat Desbiens and found the back of the net.
NOTES: Team USA outshot Canada, 33-31 … The U.S. went 0-1 on the power play while Canada went 0-3 … Caroline Harvey (Salem, N.H./University of Wisconsin) was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Best Defender …. Team USA improves to 3-4 (W-L) in Olympic gold medal games.
(info courtesy of USA Hockey)
