United States Wins Third Women’s Hockey Gold in Overtime, Knight Retires After Record‑Setting Tie
Updated (20 articles)
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Image: NewsweekMILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 13: Taylor Heise #27 of Team United States skates with the puck in the third period during the Women’s Quarterfinals match between the United States and Italy on day seven of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena on February 13, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Sona Maleterova/Getty Images) Source Full size -
Image: NewsweekMILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 13: Taylor Heise #27 of Team United States skates with the puck in the third period during the Women’s Quarterfinals match between the United States and Italy on day seven of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena on February 13, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Sona Maleterova/Getty Images) Source Full size
Overtime Victory Secures Third Olympic Gold On Feb. 19, 2026 the United States defeated Canada 2‑1 in sudden‑death 3‑on‑3 overtime at Milan’s Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, delivering the nation’s third women’s hockey gold and its first since Pyeongchang 2018 [1][3][6][7]. Defenseman Megan Keller scored the decisive goal four minutes into overtime, backhanding past goaltender Ann‑Renee Desbiens after breaking past defender Claire Thompson [1][3][4][7]. The win capped a flawless 6‑0 tournament run in which the U.S. outscored opponents 31‑1 and extended a shutout streak to over 331 minutes [4][8][9][10].
Knight’s Tie Goal Sets All‑Time U.S. Records Veteran captain Hilary Knight tied the game with 2:04 remaining in the third period, deflecting a Laila Edwards blue‑line shot and recording her 15th Olympic goal and 33rd point, both U.S. records for women’s hockey [2][3][7][8][9]. The goal gave Knight the all‑time Olympic lead in goals and points for an American woman, surpassing Natalie Darwitz and Katie King, and tied the overall U.S. points record held by Jenny Potter [8][9]. Knight announced the gold‑medal game would be her final Olympic appearance, ending a career that includes two golds, three silvers, and five Olympic tournaments [2][15][18].
Keller’s Decisive Backhand Ends 331‑Minute Shutout Streak Keller’s overtime backhand not only clinched the gold but also marked the first goal the U.S. allowed in the tournament since a short‑handed breakaway by Canada’s Kristin O’Neill early in the second period, snapping a 352‑minute shutout run [1][6][7]. The goal came after the U.S. had recorded five consecutive shutouts and held opponents scoreless for more than 331 minutes, a historic defensive performance [4][8][9][10]. Canadian goaltender Desbiens made 31 saves, while U.S. netminder Aerin Frankel recorded 30 saves, underscoring the high‑level goaltending on both sides [7][8].
Tournament Dominance Highlighted by Record Scoring and Youth Impact The United States entered the final unbeaten, having posted five shutouts and scored at least five goals in each game, including a 5‑0 round‑robin win over Canada [3][10][11]. Rookie forward Laila Edwards, the first Black woman on the U.S. roster, contributed an assist on Knight’s tying goal and is projected as the team’s future leader [2][7][15]. Knight also proposed to speedskater Brittany Bowe during the Games, adding a personal milestone to her historic final performance [2].
Sources
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1.
AP: U.S. Wins Third Olympic Gold in Women’s Hockey, Overtime Goal Beats Canada: Details the 2‑1 OT win, Keller’s goal, Knight’s tie, and O’Neill’s early Canadian lead .
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AP: Knight’s final Olympic night sees Edwards tip‑off a gold‑winning moment: Highlights Knight’s retirement, Edwards’ role, and Knight’s engagement to Brittany Bowe .
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CNN: Team USA Stages Overtime Comeback to Defeat Canada for Olympic Gold: Emphasizes the comeback, Knight’s record, and Keller’s OT goal .
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WBNS (Columbus, OH): USA wins women’s hockey gold 2‑1 in overtime over Canada: Notes the seventh gold clash, O’Neill’s short‑handed goal, and tournament shutout streak .
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King5 (Seattle, WA): USA clinches women’s hockey gold 2‑1 in overtime over Canada: Mirrors WBNS coverage with focus on O’Neill’s goal and tournament dominance .
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BBC: U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey Wins Gold Over Canada in Overtime: Provides match timeline, shutout streak length, and venue details .
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AP: U.S. Wins Overtime 2‑1 Over Canada for Third Olympic Women’s Hockey Gold: Adds goalie save counts and Edwards’ historic debut .
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WBNS (Columbus, OH): Hilary Knight Sets U.S. Women’s Hockey Olympic Goal Record: Focuses on Knight’s record, points tie, and overall tournament stats .
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King5 (Seattle, WA): Hilary Knight Sets U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Goal Record at Milan Cortina 2026: Similar to WBNS with emphasis on Knight’s five‑Olympic appearance .
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Newsweek: USA vs Canada Women’s Hockey Gold Medal Game Set for Thursday, Feb. 19: Announces game schedule, U.S. dominance, and prior 5‑0 shutout of Canada .
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King5 (Seattle, WA): U.S. Women’s Hockey Advances to Olympic Gold Medal Game Against Canada: Highlights shutout streak, Seattle Torrent players’ contributions, and broadcast info .
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WBNS (Columbus, OH): Olympic Hockey Overtime and Shootout Rules Evolve During Tournament: Describes rule changes affecting overtime format used in the final .
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King5 (Seattle, WA): Olympic Hockey Overtime and Shootout Formats Evolve Through Tournament: Similar rule‑change coverage .
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AP: U.S. and Canada Advance to Olympic Hockey Semifinals After Overtime Thrillers: Recaps quarterfinal OT wins that set up the final .
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AP: Hilary Knight’s Final Olympic Showdown Against Canada: Provides Knight’s motivation, tournament stats, and rivalry context .
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WBNS (Columbus, OH): USA Men’s Hockey Quarterfinals and Olympic Highlights: Covers men’s tournament, not directly related to women’s final .
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King5 (Seattle, WA): USA Men’s Hockey Quarterfinals and Olympic Highlights: Mirrors men’s coverage .
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King5 (Seattle, WA): Hilary Knight heads Team USA into fifth Olympic gold‑medal showdown: Features Knight’s personal reflections and game timing .
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19.
AP: Canada and USA Set for Quarterfinal Showdowns at Milan 2026 Olympics: Announces quarterfinal matchups preceding the final .
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20.
King5 (Seattle, WA): U.S. and Canada set for seventh Olympic women’s hockey gold showdown: Pre‑game preview emphasizing tournament dominance and veteran captains .
Timeline
1998 – Women’s ice hockey makes its Olympic debut at Nagano and the United States wins the inaugural gold, launching the USA‑Canada rivalry that will dominate future Games [4].
2018 – The United States captures its second Olympic women’s‑hockey title in Pyeongchang, reinforcing its status as a top contender alongside Canada’s five golds [4].
2022 – Canada secures the Beijing gold‑medal game, earning its fifth Olympic women’s‑hockey championship and the most recent victory before the 2026 showdown [4].
Feb 6‑22, 2026 – The Milan‑Cortina Winter Games run, with the women’s tournament staged at Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena; round‑robin play uses a 5‑minute 3‑on‑3 overtime followed by a five‑shooter shootout, mirroring NHL rules [1][12].
Early Feb 2026 (tournament opener) – Team USA defeats Czechia 5‑1, with Barbora Jurickova scoring the opening goal, and launches a shutout streak that will exceed 300 minutes [11].
Early tournament (group stage) – The United States blanks Canada 5‑0, delivering the first Olympic shutout in Canadian women’s‑hockey history and the worst defeat for Canada in 28 years [3][11].
Early tournament (subsequent games) – USA records five straight shutouts (vs Sweden, Italy, Switzerland and Finland), posts a 31‑1 goal differential and sees Aerin Frankel earn her third shutout, underscoring its dominance [16].
Feb 18, 2026 – Quarterfinals – In overtime, Quinn Hughes scores the winner as the United States edges Sweden 2‑1 to reach the semifinal, while Canada survives a 4‑3 OT thriller over Czechia, keeping a potential USA‑Canada final alive [8].
Feb 18, 2026 – Personal milestone – Captain Hilary Knight proposes to speedskater Brittany Bowe during the tournament, saying she feels more nervous about the proposal than about playing hockey [5].
Feb 19, 2026 – Gold‑medal game – early lead – Canada takes a 1‑0 lead early in the second period on a short‑handed breakaway by Kristin O’Neill, the first goal the U.S. concedes after a 352‑minute shutout run [1][6].
Feb 19, 2026 – Gold‑medal game – tying goal – With 2:04 left, veteran captain Hilary Knight deflects Laila Edwards’ shot to tie the game, earning her 15th Olympic goal (the all‑time U.S. women’s record) and matching the U.S. career‑points record at 32 points [11][15].
Feb 19, 2026 – Gold‑medal game – overtime winner – Four minutes into sudden‑death 3‑on‑3 overtime, defenseman Megan Keller backhands the puck past Ann‑Renee Desbiens to give the United States a 2‑1 victory and its third Olympic women’s‑hockey gold [1][2][4][10][14].
Feb 19, 2026 – Historic firsts – Laila Edwards becomes the first Black woman to play for Team USA and is highlighted as a likely successor to Knight’s legacy, while the United States ends a 331‑minute shutout streak that began in the opening game [4][5].
Feb 19, 2026 – Records and retirements – Knight announces this will be her final Olympic appearance, retiring with two gold medals, three silvers, the all‑time U.S. goal record and a tie for the points record, while Canada’s captain Marie‑Philip Poulin may also be playing her last Games [5][10][15].
Feb 19, 2026 – Broadcast and atmosphere – The gold‑medal match airs live on USA Network and Peacock from Milan’s Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, with celebratory equipment tosses and a photo gallery capturing Marie‑Philip Poulin awaiting the medal ceremony [1][6].
Dive deeper (4 sub-stories)
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U.S. Women’s Hockey Wins Third Olympic Gold in Overtime Over Canada
(13 articles)
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AP: Knight’s final Olympic night sees Edwards tip‑off a gold‑winning moment
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Olympic Hockey Shifts to NHL‑Style 3‑on‑3 Overtime for Gold Medal
(2 articles)
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United States and Canada Win Overtime Quarterfinals, Advance to Friday Semifinals
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External resources (4 links)
- https://www.instagram.com/reels/DU5rM4XDORz/ (cited 1 times)
- https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/where-to-watch-olympic-games-live (cited 6 times)
- https://imp.i305175.net/c/5565082/3778271/11640?subId1=USA%20vs.%20Canada%20%28Women%27s%20Gold%29&sharedid=Newsweek%20Sports (cited 3 times)
- https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/results/iho/w/team6-------------/fnl-/000100--/team-lineups (cited 1 times)