Team USA Wins Women’s Hockey Gold at Milan Cortina 2026

Team USA defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win the gold medal in women’s hockey at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games. The victory marks the first Olympic gold for the U.S. Women’s hockey team since 2018, breaking a streak of losses to Canada in the 2014, 2022, and 2010 finals [NBC Bay Area].

A Comeback Victory

Trailing 1-0 in the final minutes of regulation, the U.S. Team mounted a dramatic comeback to tie the game and force overtime. Hilary Knight scored the tying goal, breaking the all-time U.S. Olympic goal-scoring record, off a deflection from a shot by Laila Edwards [NBC Bay Area].

Keller Secures the Gold

Megan Keller then scored the game-winning goal in overtime, securing the gold medal for Team USA [Olympics.com].

Dominant Run to the Final

The U.S. Team entered the final undefeated, having outscored their opponents 31-1 throughout the Milan Cortina games, including a 5-0 victory over Canada in group play [NBC Bay Area]. They had also achieved a streak of 28 consecutive goals and over 350 consecutive shutout minutes before the final match.

Canada Takes Early Lead

Kristin O’Neill scored a shorthanded goal in the second period to grant Canada the initial lead, a lead they held for most of the game [NBC Bay Area].

Key Players

Hilary Knight’s goal was particularly significant, setting a new U.S. Olympic goal-scoring record. Goaltender Aerin Frankel played a crucial role in the comeback, with the U.S. Pulling her for an extra attacker in the final minutes of regulation [NBC Bay Area].