Hilary Knight Ties It, Caroline Harvey & Laila Edwards Shine in 2-1 OT Thriller Over Canada
In a thrilling comeback at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Team USA reclaimed women's ice hockey gold with a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory over rival Canada on February 19, 2026.
Canada struck first with a shorthanded goal by Kristin O'Neill early in the second period, holding a 1-0 lead deep into the third. U.S. captain Hilary Knight, competing in her fifth and final Olympics, tied it with 2:04 left in regulation, tipping in Laila Edwards' shot to set the all-time U.S. Olympic goals record at 15 and force OT. In 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime, defenseman Megan Keller delivered the golden goal at 4:07, swiftly moving past a defender and roofing a backhand past Ann-Renee Desbiens for the winner.
Goaltender Aerin Frankel made 30 saves in the resilient effort. This marks Team USA's third Olympic gold (1998, 2018, 2026), ending Canada's recent dominance and capping a dominant tournament where the Americans allowed just two goals total.
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Rising stars shone throughout, with Caroline Harvey leading the tournament in points with her two-way dominance and Texas native Hannah Bilka tallying multiple goals, including key contributions. Laila Edwards provided breakout assists and energy. This year’s women’s team capped off a dominant run and thrilling chapter in the fierce USA-Canada rivalry.
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Charles Negron
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Charles brings over 15 years of experience crafting compelling brand stories and executing multi-channel marketing campaigns. Drawing from a diverse background in publishing, marketing, and sales, he creates engaging content that builds audiences while driving strategic initiatives for NOPAC Talent, a premier celebrity speakers bureau and sports marketing agency.
