Megan Keller’s overtime backhand caps U.S. comeback for Olympic gold
megan keller scored the overtime winner as the United States rallied to beat Canada 2-1 and claim the Olympic gold medal at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, capping a comeback that began when Hilary Knight tied the game with 2: 04 left in regulation.
Knight’s late tip forces overtime in Milan
With the U. S. trailing by a goal and the clock winding down in the third period, captain Hilary Knight redirected a point shot past Canadian goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens with 2: 04 left in regulation, pulling the Americans even and sending the game to overtime at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19, 2026. Knight’s goal was the 15th of her Olympic career and broke the American record for Olympic goals, a milestone that galvanized the team as regulation expired.
Megan Keller finishes the rally in frantic 3-on-3 overtime
Four minutes into a frantic 3-versus-3 overtime, Taylor Heise fired a length-of-the-ice pass to a streaking Megan Keller, who beat Canada’s Claire Thompson with a sharp move and converted a 1-on-1 chance against Desbiens to seal the 2-1 victory. Keller’s play — juking a defender and finishing in traffic — delivered the decisive goal that handed the United States the gold medal.
Anthem, celebration and what players said on the ice
After the final horn, the U. S. team stood arm in arm and sang the national anthem at the victory ceremony inside the same arena where the game was played. Captain Hilary Knight, who said she has indicated this will be her final Olympics, called the anthem moment "the best part, " reflecting the emotional finish after a game that required late heroics and an overtime winner.
On the ice, Keller described the team’s approach to overtime: "playing to win rather than playing not to lose, " a mindset that showed up in the pass from Heise and Keller’s willingness to make a risky move and finish the play against Canada’s top defenders.
The match had been tight for nearly the entire game, with Canada’s veteran group pressing the Americans through most of regulation. For 57-plus minutes, the Canadians held the lead, but Knight’s tying goal and Keller’s overtime finish turned the result in favor of the United States, producing a 2-1 final score and Olympic gold.
With the win, the U. S. women left Milan with the top podium spot on Feb. 19, 2026; the immediate sports focus moves to the men’s tournament, where the U. S. men are scheduled to face Slovakia in a semifinal on Friday.
