Keller leads USA hockey to Olympic gold with OT winner vs. Canada
by Alex Butler · UPIFeb. 19 (UPI) -- Megan Keller deked a defender and slid in a game-winning goal in overtime to lead Team USA past Canada in Thursday's Winter Olympics gold medal game.
Keller found the net 4:07 into the 3-on-3 bonus period, resulting in a 2-1 triumph at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. The Americans, who went 6-0 and allowed just one goal at the 2026 Winter Olympics entering the finale, trailed 1-0 in the final minutes of regulation.
"We definitely had to will something," forward Hilary Knight, who scored with 2:04 remaining in regulation, said on the NBC broadcast. "We came out a little slow in the first. We started to pick up momentum in the second. In the third, when you have a 1-0 deficit against Canada, a great team, you have to find the back of the net.
"We knew it was a matter of time...But you can also run out of time playing against a great team. I'm fortunate we have an amazing squad to be able to get the job done."
The Americans, who watched their record shutout streak end after more than 352 minutes when Kristin O'Neill scored a shorthanded goal less than a minute into the first period, continued to attack the net throughout regulation, but were consistently denied by Canadian goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens.
They held a 14-13 advantage in shots in the second period and tied their northern neighbors with eight shots over the final 20 minutes of regulation.
But O'Neill's second period score stood as the lone goal of the night until Team USA pulled goalie Aerin Frankel in favor of an extra skater with 2:23 remaining in regulation.
About 20 seconds later, Keller fed defenseman Laila Edwards near the Canadian blue line. Edwards roped the puck toward the net. Knight slid in front of the crease and used her blade to deflect a blind shot between her own legs and past Desbiens.
With that score, Knight not only tied the score, she also set the record for the most goals (15) and points (33) for an American in Olympics history.
Frankel, who logged 30 saves, and the Americans fended off several Canadien opportunities early on in overtime. Forward Taylor Heise sent a pass along the left boards to Keller to start the final sequence.
Keller extended her stick wide left before tapping the puck around defender Claire Thompson. She then regained control on her right hip and tapped a shot between Desbiens' legs to clinch the gold medal for the Americans.
Team USA and Canada combined to win all eight gold medals since women's hockey was introduced at the Olympics in 1998. The Americans now own three, while the Canadians won five Olympic tournaments.
Earlier Thursday, Aline Muller netted an overtime goal to lead Switzerland to a 2-1 win over Sweden in the bronze medal match. Sinja Leemann also scored for Switzerland.
Team USA beats Canada for gold in women's ice hockey
Team USA members celebrate after the United States' Megan Keller scored the winning goal in sudden death three on three overtime of the Gold Medal Game between Canada and the USA at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Italy on Thursday. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo