Team USA Women Stun Canada With Late Comeback for Gold
Team USA women trailed for most of the gold medal match against Canada. The heated rivalry between the two nations culminated in a tight match between the favored Americans and the upset-minded Canadians, and for a while, it looked like Canada was set to stage an improbable upset.
Then, the Americans struck back late, tying the game and sending it to overtime. Then, a beautiful goal on the breakaway ended the contest and delivered the gold to Team USA.
Team USA steals gold from Canada in stunning comeback
Megan Keller got the pass near the boards and decided to make it a winner for Team USA. The long pass down the ice set her up in a one-on-one with the Canadian defender. She put on an otherworldly move to switch the puck to the other side of the defender and sent the shot screaming into the net.
"If you had to play against her and practice against her, Megan Keller can really do it all," defenseman Lee Stecklein said via ESPN. "To see that move under pressure like that, just incredible." With the gold medal literally on the line, Keller recorded a highlight-reel goal.
Of course, none of it would've been possible if Hilary Knight hadn't sent it to overtime late in the third. "I remember (coach John Wroblewski) drawing it up," Knight said. "And I was like, 'Yeah, this is our moment. Here we go.'"
The goal tied it with 2:04 remaining. Team USA had pulled the goalie in an effort to make a mad, final scramble for a goal, and Knight delivered. Her goal eventually led to a win and a gold medal. That officially made her the most decorated American women's hockey player with two golds.
It was her final Olympic run. It was also her fifth, and Knight pretty much went out on top.
Hilary Knight breaks record in win
Hilary Knight might not be getting the headlines like Megan Keller is. She hit the winner, and hers was a highlight-reel one-on-one attempt with all the pressure. Knight, though, set a record with the tying goal that made Keller's goal possible.
It was her 15th goal and 33rd Olympic point. Both marks sit atop the American record books for men and women. She's now the most prolific scorer in American hockey history. She is retiring, but she's stepping away after having done basically all she can do.
"I've had a heck of a career personally. It's been an incredible ride," Knight said. "I have to soak this all in because this room is just so special, this team is so special. This is the best U.S. hockey team I've ever been a part of. That is just so tremendous."
Longtime teammate Kendall Coyne Schofield said it was "poetic," and that Knight "always goes out with a bang." This included an iconic proposal in Milan to her partner and the record-breaking goal. "You couldn't script it any better," Schofield said.
"I think that's the perfect way for her to break the record," Lee Stecklein added. "She carries that pressure, and she knows we're relying on her. If it wasn't her, I do believe it could have been someone else. But also, it's so not surprising for it to be her because that's just who she is and who she's always been."
Schofield has been on four Olympic teams, and she's played with a ton of great hockey players. This team, however, was "special." They were able to steal a win from their rival on the biggest stage after facing certain defeat.
Team USA held Marie-Philip Poulin off the scoresheet, too. "Utmost respect for her," Knight said. "I think you saw that going through the handshake line, just embracing and understanding we have so many things in common. The only difference is we're on the other side of these teams and some legendary performances. I'll miss it."
The two stars of this competition will likely never face off again.
