Hilary Knight’s Late Deflection Forces OT; Megan Keller’s Winner Gives U.S. Olympic Gold in OT Thriller

The United States completed a dramatic comeback to beat Canada 2-1 in overtime in the Women's Gold Medal match, with Hilary Knight tying the game late in regulation and Megan Keller scoring the game-winner 4: 07 into overtime. The victory returned the women's hockey gold medal to the United States at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Italy.

Hilary Knight ties it late to force overtime

With the Americans trailing after a shorthanded goal by Canada — the first goal the United States had allowed in the tournament, ending a run of three hours, 52 minutes and seven seconds of shutout hockey — captain Hilary Knight answered in the final minutes of regulation. After the U. S. successfully killed a late Canadian power play and pulled their goalie with roughly 2: 30 remaining, Knight deflected a wrister from the top of the zone to even the score and send the match to overtime.

Megan Keller’s overtime strike and game flow

Four minutes and seven seconds into the overtime period, Megan Keller executed a move that squeezed the puck past the Canadian goaltender and secured the gold medal for the United States. The game finished 2-1 after a tense regulation period and a short, decisive extra session.

Regulation play was tightly contested: shots finished 29-28 in favor of Canada after three periods. The Americans had begun the second period on a power play that resulted from a penalty at the end of the first, and late in the third Canada earned another power play that the U. S. successfully killed with just over four minutes remaining before the tying sequence.

Key moments and implications

• Opening breakthrough: Canada scored a shorthanded goal, snapping the U. S. shutout streak of three hours, 52 minutes and seven seconds.
• Late regulation: The U. S. killed a late-game power play and then pulled their goalie; Hilary Knight’s deflection tied the match with about 2: 30 left.
• Overtime: Megan Keller scored 4: 07 into overtime to decide the match 2-1 in favor of the United States.

The result hands the United States the women's hockey gold medal at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, capping a match that saw momentum swing in the final minutes and culminate in a brief but decisive overtime.

This is a developing story; details may evolve.