Team USA Brings Home Gold in Women’s Ice Hockey Following Olympic Shutout
Allison Bennett
Managing Editor
On February 19, the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team defeated Team Canada 2-1. This was achieved in overtime at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santaguilia Ice Hockey Arena to win the gold medal. Megan Keller of the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s (PWHL) Boston Fleet scored the game-winning goal. The matchup marked the third gold medal game between the teams to enter overtime in Olympic history (2014, 2018).
Team USA closed the Olympic Games undefeated with a record of 6-1-0-0, meaning six regulation wins and 1 overtime win. Across seven games, Team USA Hockey reports, USA outscored opponents 33-2, securing the U.S. its first run to Olympic gold without a loss since 1998.
Team USA entered as the favorite for gold after handing Team Canada its first-ever Olympic shutout, 5-0, in the group stage.
Team USA won its third Olympic gold medal and first since a 3-2 shootout victory against Canada in the finals at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. Canada won gold by defeating Team USA 3-2 at the 2022 Beijing Games.
Michigan’s Megan Keller, a three-time Olympian and two-time gold medalist, scored the game-winning goal in overtime to bring Team USA to victory. When asked about her team, Keller said, “In my view, this is the best hockey team the world has ever seen.”
Forward Hilary Knight from Team USA deflected a shot from defender Laila Edward, forcing overtime by tying the game 1-1 with 2:04 remaining in regulation, with goalie Aerin Frankel pulled for an extra skater.
Team USA only allowed one goal all tournament before their match against Team Canada in the finals.
Knight has 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 29 career games and five Olympic Games, setting the Olympic record on Thursday for the most goals and points by any U.S. man or woman, according to the National Hockey League. Knight set this record just 24 hours after announcing her engagement to Team USA speed skater Brittany Bowe, whom has been dating since meeting at the Beijing games. Knight announced in May that these would be her last Olympic Games, though when asked after winning gold if that was her last Olympic goal, she said she wasn’t sure yet.
Laila Edwards, a defender for Team USA and a college ice hockey player for the University of Wisconsin, also made history at the 2026 Olympic Games. The 22-year-old became the first Black American to win a medal in Olympic ice hockey, just eight days after becoming the first Black woman to represent Team USA at an Olympic Games.
The Associated Press reports that Edwards had 10 family members and four friends in attendance in Milan to watch her Olympic debut, thanks to a successful GoFundMe drive, the top donation coming from NFL brothers Travis and Jason Kelce, after growing up in the same town as Edwards and being fans of hers since she came the first Black player to make the U.S. seniors women’s national team in 2023.
Image courtesy of Getty Images.