Team USA defeats archrival Canada in wild overtime showdown to secure women’s hockey gold medal at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy

The gold medal game at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics was always going to be electric.

Put the United States and Canada on the same Olympic sheet of ice, raise the stakes to gold, and you’re guaranteed drama.

What unfolded in Milan was chaos, courage, and clutch brilliance wrapped into one unforgettable 2–1 overtime thriller.

Team USA didn’t just win. They survived, believed, and then stole it at the death.

A Rivalry That Never Fails to Ignite

This wasn’t new territory.

The United States and Canada had already clashed six times before in Olympic women’s hockey finals.

Canada won the most recent meeting in Beijing in 2022, and historically they’ve owned this stage with five Olympic gold medals.

But heading into this final, the momentum had flipped.

The Americans had beaten Canada seven straight times in international play.

During the Milan tournament, they looked ruthless — undefeated and outscoring opponents 31–1 before the final.

Canada, meanwhile, had been rocked 5–0 by the U.S. in group play and survived a scare against Switzerland just to reach the gold medal match.

On paper, Team USA were favorites.

On Olympic ice, paper doesn’t matter.

Canada Strikes First Against the Run of Play

The opening period was tight, physical, and tense — exactly what you expect in this rivalry. No goals. No breathing room.

Early in the second period, a hooking penalty on Canada’s Ella Shelton seemed to hand the Americans momentum. Instead, disaster struck at the worst possible moment.

A defensive misread left Laila Edwards scrambling.

Kristin O’Neill broke free, hesitated just long enough to freeze goaltender Aerin Frankel, and slipped a backhand past her.

Just like that, Canada led 1–0.

It was the kind of opportunistic finish that has defined Canadian success for decades.

Desperation, Pressure, and a Goalie Wall

The Americans didn’t fold. They pressed.

Wave after wave of pressure crashed toward Ann-Renée Desbiens in the Canadian net.

She answered every one. Glove saves. Pad stops. Calm rebounds. She was a fortress.

Time kept draining.

Then came another twist. With under five minutes left, Team USA went shorthanded after Britta Curl delivered a heavy hit from behind.

Canada had a chance to bury the game.

They didn’t.

The Americans killed the penalty. And then came the gamble.

With 2:22 remaining, head coach John Wroblewski pulled Frankel for the extra attacker.

It was all or nothing.

Hillary Knight Delivers One More Miracle

Redemption arrived from an unlikely starting point.

Laila Edwards — who had been caught on Canada’s goal earlier — fired a shot from the point.

In front of the crease, captain Hillary Knight got her stick on it.

Deflection. Goal. 1–1.

Pandemonium.

That goal wasn’t just about tying the game. It cemented Knight’s place in history.

In what was her final Olympic appearance, she became the highest-scoring American in Olympic women’s hockey history, both in goals and total points.

Against Canada. On the biggest stage. With minutes left.

You can’t script that.

Knight later told NBC that the team had to “will something” into existence.

Against a powerhouse like Canada, time can disappear in a blink. The U.S. refused to let it.

Overtime Was Inevitable

Two of the last three Olympic women’s tournaments had featured overtime drama.

It felt almost preordained that this one would too.

Three-on-three overtime is chaos hockey — space, speed, nerves.

Both goaltenders were spectacular.

Frankel finished with 30 saves.

Desbiens stopped 31 of 33 American attempts.

Then came the moment that will live forever in Olympic highlight reels.

Megan Keller’s Golden Dagger

Four minutes into overtime, Taylor Heise sent a perfectly timed outlet pass up ice.

Megan Keller collected it cleanly.

What followed was pure artistry.

Keller executed a devastating toe drag that sent Canadian defender Claire Thompson lunging and reaching.

With space created, Keller kept the puck on her backhand and slid it toward Desbiens.

The puck slipped under the pads.

Game over.

Gold secured.

Blue jerseys exploded onto the ice in Milan. Bedlam in the arena. Bedlam back home.

A Historic Third Gold for the United States

This victory marks just the third Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey for the United States, matching their triumphs over Canada in 1998 (Nagano) and 2018 (PyeongChang).

Canada still leads historically with five gold medals, but this win narrows the emotional gap — and reminds the hockey world that this rivalry is as balanced as ever.

Perhaps most impressively, the Americans finished the tournament with a staggering combined scoreline of 33–2 across all games, including the final.

That’s dominance with a dramatic twist.

More Than Just a Win

This wasn’t only about medals.

It was about resilience after being punched first.

It was about a veteran captain delivering in her final act.

It was about a defender finding redemption.

It was about a group that believed through a four-year Olympic cycle.

And it was about a rivalry that continues to define women’s hockey.

Women’s Olympic hockey has grown immensely since its debut in 1998.

Attendance numbers are climbing. Broadcast ratings are climbing.

The skill level has never been higher. And games like this are exactly why.

What’s Next?

For Team USA, the gold medal glow will last — but the cycle never truly stops.

Attention now shifts toward the IIHF Women’s World Championships and preparing for the next Olympic build-up.

For Canada, this loss will sting. But history says they’ll respond. They always do.

Expect roster adjustments, fresh talent, and renewed hunger on both sides.

The USA–Canada rivalry isn’t slowing down.

If anything, it’s getting faster, sharper, and even more dramatic.

Summary

Team USA captured Olympic gold in Milan with a stunning 2–1 overtime win over Canada, powered by Hillary Knight’s late equalizer and Megan Keller’s brilliant game-winner.

The Americans capped an undefeated tournament run with resilience, redemption, and historic performances.

In a rivalry that continues to define women’s hockey, this chapter belongs to the United States — and it may be one of the most unforgettable yet.