MILAN (AP) — Megan Keller backhanded in a shot 4:07 into extra time and the USA gained its third Olympic gold medal in girls’s hockey, beating Canada 2-1 on the Milan Cortina Video games on Thursday evening to shut one other thrilling chapter of one among sports activities’ most heated rivalries.
American captain Hilary Knight, in her fifth and closing Olympics, pressured extra time by tipping in Laila Edwards’ shot from the blue line with 2:04 remaining. The aim was the fifteenth of her Olympic profession and thirty third level to interrupt the U.S. document in each classes.
With the edges taking part in 3-on-3, Keller broke up the left wing and pushed previous Claire Thompson. Driving to the web, the U.S. assistant captain received off a backhander that beat Ann-Renee Desbiens over her proper pad.
“I’m misplaced for phrases,” Keller mentioned. “That is an unimaginable feeling. I really like these ladies a lot. This group deserves it. Simply the trouble and the religion that we saved by means of this four-year journey is one thing very particular.”
The U.S. beforehand gained gold on the 1998 Nagano Video games, the primary to characteristic girls’s hockey, and in 2018 in Pyeongchang. Canada, which gained the opposite 5 gold medals, settled for its third silver.
Petr David Josek by way of Related Press
Aerin Frankel stopped 30 pictures for the U.S.
Kristen O’Neill scored a short-handed aim for Canada and Desbiens completed with 31 saves.
This was the seventh of 12 Olympic conferences between the rivals to be determined by one aim and the third to go previous regulation. Canada overcame a late 2-1 deficit to beat the U.S. 3-2 on Marie-Philip Poulin’s extra time aim on the 2014 Sochi Video games. The U.S. gained 3-2 in 2018 when Jocelyne Lamoureux scored in a shootout.
Though the ultimate couldn’t have been nearer, the People have been dominant in Milan, going 7-0 and outscoring their opponents by a mixed 33-2.
Canada pushed the U.S. to the brink simply 9 days after it was crushed 5-0 by the People within the preliminary spherical.
O’Neill’s aim 54 seconds into the second interval ended the People’ shutout streak of 5 hours, 52 minutes and 17 seconds, courting to the second interval of a 5-1 opening win over Czechia. The U.S. had not trailed within the event.
As followers alternated chants of “USA! and “Ca-na-da,” Canada was inside grasp of its sixth gold medal. The U.S. pulled Frankel for an additional attacker with 2:23 left, and Knight transformed 19 seconds later. Edwards slapped a low shot on the internet that Knight tipped in by means of her legs and previous Desbiens.
This was the primary Olympics for Edwards, the primary Black lady to characterize the usin hockey.
“We knew we had it in us, and Hil got here up large with that tying aim,” Keller mentioned. “I believe simply a number of perception in our group. We needed to play to win.”
Petr David Josek by way of Related Press
For defending Olympic champion Canadians, this was thought-about a final hurrah for his or her getting older core led by Marie-Philip Poulin. “Captain Clutch” and her teammates confirmed resolve by pushing the People to the brink.
Canada hardly seemed overmatched within the first interval, and O’Neill opened the scoring by capping a 2-on-1 short-handed break early within the second. Canada saved urgent its assault and had a number of possibilities in extra time.
A minute earlier than Keller’s aim, Sarah Fillier moved up the suitable wing solely to have her shot stopped by Frankel, with the puck touchdown within the crease.
The People prolonged their profitable streak towards Canada to eight. It started with two wins on the world championships in April, together with the gold medal sport. The U.S. then swept a four-game exhibition sequence by a mixed margin of 26-7.
The U.S., beneath coach John Wroblewski, revamped a lot of its roster from the workforce that misplaced 3-2 to Canada on the 2022 Beijing Video games. This workforce featured simply 11 returning gamers and 7 who’re nonetheless in school.
AP Olympic protection: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics