USA wins Olympic women's hockey gold over Canada on Megan Keller's OT goal

Team USA wins Olympic gold in overtime thriller

The United States women’s hockey team defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Defender Megan Keller scored the game-winning goal 4:07 into the 3-on-3 extra period.

Canada had led for most of the game after Kristin O’Neill scored a shorthanded goal early in the second period. The U.S. pulled goalie Aerin Frankel for an extra attacker and Hilary Knight tied the game with a redirection in front of the net with just over two minutes left in regulation.

This is the third Olympic gold medal for the U.S. women’s team. All three victories have come against Canada in the final.

Players react to an instant classic

“It’s like invigorating every part of your mind, body and soul,” said U.S. head coach John Wroblewski after the victory. He called watching his players’ elation “the best way to describe it.”

Keller described her mindset on the overtime winner. “I was just trying to make a move, take a chance,” she said. “I was trying to win, not play to not lose.” She credited teammate Taylor Heise with a great pass on the play.

Knight, who forced overtime, was definitive about the team’s belief. “There was no way we were losing this game. That’s all. Simple as that,” she said. “I knew we were going to get possession, so I just had to find a place in front of the net.”

Canada grapples with a heartbreaking finish

Canadian players expressed immense pride in their performance alongside deep disappointment. “This locker room, this staff, is why it hurts so bad,” forward Laura Stacey said. “We wanted it, and we did everything we could for one another, and we fell just inches short.”

Goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens, who made 32 saves, will replay the winning goal. “Everything happens so fast,” she said. “On the shots you never quite know where it goes and it squeaked in. I’ll see that one for a long time.”

Captain Marie-Philip Poulin expected the battle. “Overtime against the US? I don’t think it’s a surprise for anybody. It’s happened many times,” she said. Despite the loss, she made a point of congratulating every U.S. player personally on the handshake line.

The legacy of a historic rivalry

The 2026 final marked the third time a U.S.-Canada women’s Olympic gold medal game has gone to overtime. The rivalry’s history of dramatic finishes includes:

• Sochi 2014: Canada won in overtime on a goal by Marie-Philip Poulin.
• Pyeongchang 2018: The U.S. won in a shootout after overtime.
• Milan Cortina 2026: The U.S. wins in 3-on-3 overtime.

“It just shows how good those games are,” Desbiens said of the recurring overtime drama. “Each country plays with so much pride… It makes for a good show.”

For the Americans, the win cements a new chapter. Keller called this group “the best hockey team the world has ever seen.” Teammate Abbey Murphy summed up the feeling: “This team had one thing in mind and that was gold, obviously… We’re champions.”