United States rallies late, tops Canada in OT for women’s Olympic gold medal

Megan Keller scored on a backhand 4:07 into overtime, giving the United States a 2-1 victory against Canada in the gold medal game of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 women's ice hockey tournament at Santagiulia Arena in Milan on Thursday.

The United States won its third Olympic gold medal and first since a 3-2 shootout victory against Canada at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. Canada won gold by defeating the U.S. 3-2 at the 2022 Beijing Games.

Keller, playing in her third Olympics, took a pass above the Canada blue line during the 3-on-3 period, skated by a defender on the left side and cut to the net before scoring her third goal of the tournament.

U.S. captain Hilary Knight forced overtime by tying the game 1-1 with 2:04 remaining in the third period with goalie Aerin Frankel pulled for an extra attacker.

Knight was standing in the slot when she deflected a shot from the point by Laila Edwards. It was Knight's 15th career goal in her fifth Olympic Games. The 36-year-old has scored the most goals of any U.S. player (men or women).

Knight has 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 29 career Olympic games.

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It's been quite a week for Knight, who announced her engagement to U.S. speedskater Brittany Bowe on Wednesday. The two have been dating since first meeting at the Beijing Games.

Frankel made 30 saves.

Kristin O'Neill gave Canada a 1-0 lead 54 seconds into the second period with a short-handed goal on a 2-on-1 with Laura Stacey. Stacey skated down the right wing and passed to O'Neill in the slot before the first-time Olympian backhanded a shot inside the left post.

It was the first goal allowed by the United States in 352:17, spanning six games. The U.S. entered the game with five straight shutouts, including a 5-0 win against Canada in the preliminary round Feb. 10.

The United States and Canada have combined to win every women's Olympic ice hockey gold medal since the sport was introduced in 1998.

Canada goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens, who helped her country win the gold medal in Beijing, made 31 saves.

The United States has won eight in a row against Canada dating to the 2025 IIHF World Championship, when the Americans won 4-3 in overtime for the gold medal.