Megan Keller's overtime finish completes U.S. comeback for Olympic women's hockey gold
The United States defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime on Feb. 19, 2026, in Milan, capped when megan keller beat Canadian goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens four minutes into sudden-death to secure Olympic gold at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
Trailing 1-0 late in the third period, U. S. captain Hilary Knight tied the game with 2: 04 left in regulation by redirecting a point shot past Desbiens, a play that marked Knight’s 15th Olympic goal and extended her Olympic scoring mark to 33 points; Knight has said this will be her final Olympics.
Megan Keller seals gold with an overtime backhander
Taylor Heise carried the sequence into overtime with a length-of-the-ice pass to Megan Keller, who raced up the ice, beat defender Claire Thompson with a sharp move and finished 1-on-1 with a backhand that slipped through Desbiens’ legs four minutes into the three-on-three overtime to make it 2-1. Heise later described feeding the streaking Keller down the ice, and Keller said she decided to take a chance and finish the play.
How the comeback unfolded in Milan
The Americans pulled their goalie in the third period and won a critical attacking-zone faceoff that led to the point shot Knight redirected with 2: 04 remaining, forcing overtime after Canada’s earlier shorthanded goal had stood as the lone score for much of the match. For 57 minutes and change Canada had controlled the game, but Knight’s veteran presence and Keller’s overtime strike swung the result in the U. S. favor.
Anthem, records and the moment after
After the medal ceremony at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, the U. S. players linked arms and sang the national anthem on the podium, a moment Knight called “the best part. ” The overtime win completed a 2-1 final and left Canada with silver, while Knight’s tying goal set U. S. Olympic records for both goals and points in the tournament.
The victory combined a late-game redirection by Knight with a decisive rush and finish by megan keller, giving the Americans the gold and delivering a dramatic end to the women’s tournament on Feb. 19, 2026.
Next up on the Olympic schedule, the U. S. men’s team is set to play Slovakia in the semifinals on Friday.
