Megan Keller's golden goal lifts USA past Canada: 'Incredible feeling'

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Megan Keller's golden goal lifts USA past Canada: 'Incredible feeling'

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press · USA TODAY Sports

Thu, Feb 19, 2026 ·

3 min read

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MILAN — Megan Keller threw her arms in the air and threw her equipment on the ice as teammates mobbed her.

She had just scored a golden goal, completing a remarkable rally for USA women in the final game of the 2026 Winter Olympics women's hockey tournament. They trailed with three minutes to go, were tied with two minutes to go, and overjoyed four minutes into overtime.

Keller took a pass from Taylor Heise, dangled around defender Claire Thompson and fired a shot that slipped through the pads of Ann-Renee Desbiens to give USA a 2-1 victory over Canada .

"I'm lost for words," Keller said. "This is an incredible feeling. I love these girls so much. This group deserves it. Just the effort and the faith that we kept through this four-year journey is something very special.

"We worked so hard for the past four years. We love each other in that locker room. Just a really special group and just couldn't be happier for us."

More: Swiss women's hockey wins bronze thanks to Money Müller: 'I blacked out'

Heise smiled when asked about the play.

"Meg was flying up the ice, and she was calling for the puck, and I kind of wanted a change," Heise said. "So I chucked it up to her, and I didn't even see what she did. I'm very excited to get to my phone and really get a good memory and burn it into my memory.

"Big Meg. She's amazing. I think she does things right. She learned from Hilary [Knight]. She'll say it herself. I think that they've played with each other for a very long time and continue to do so. I think Meg, she's got a little forward in her, and I love that for her because she'll get in practice and start dangling people and we're like, 'Big Meg, that's you girl.' But she's amazing and I think her and Hilary are the main reasons we have the belief we do in the team."

By the time she approached the bench, Heise knew Keller had scored.

"People are already throwing their arms up, throwing the helmets," Heise said. "And then I just turned around real quick, threw my gloves off, couldn't get my helmet off, so I just skated to the mix of everyone."

Keller laughed when asked if she had dangled like that before.

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Relive USA’s thrilling gold‑medal OT win and celebration over Canada

Players of Team United States celebrate winning the gold medals after the team's 2-1 overtime victory in the Women's Gold Medal match between the United States and Canada on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.

(Sarah Stier, Getty Images)

USA's players celebrate after winning the women's gold medal ice hockey match between USA and Canada at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, on Feb. 19, 2026.
(JULIEN DE ROSA, AFP via Getty Images)

Cayla Barnes #3 of Team United celebrates winning the gold medals after the team's 2-1 overtime victory in the Women's Gold Medal match between the United States and Canada on day 13 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
(Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images)

Team USA celebrates a goal against Canada in the women's ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)

Team USA celebrate winning the Gold Medal in Women’s ice hockey following overtime of the women's ice hockey gold medal game against Canada during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19.
(Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)

Abbey Murphy of United States in action with Sarah Nurse of Canada during the Women's Gold Medal Game at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics on Feb. 19.
(Marton Monus, Reuters)

Ann-Renee Desbiens #35 of Team Canada makes a save against Alex Carpenter #25 of Team United States in the second period during the Women's Gold Medal match between the United States and Canada on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19, 2026, in Milan, Italy.
(Sarah Stier, Getty Images)

Canada's #43 Kristin O'Neill (R) fights for the puck with USA's #13 Grace Zumwinkle during the women's gold medal ice hockey match between USA and Canada at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, on Feb. 19, 2026.
(JULIEN DE ROSA, AFP via Getty Images)

Emma Maltais of Canada is held back by linesperson Kristyna Hajkova during the Women's Gold Medal Game between the United States and Canada at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics on Feb. 19.
(David W Cerny, Reuters)

Renata Fast and Ann-Renee Desbiens of Canada in action against Britta Curl of United States during the Women's Gold Medal Game at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics on Feb. 19.
(Mike Segar, Reuters)

Emma Maltais (27) of Canada has words with linesperson Tiina Saarimaki (64) of Finland and referee Kelly Cooke (29) of the United States in the women's ice hockey gold medal game against the United States during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)

Aerin Frankel (31) of the United States makes a save against Canada in the women's ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)

Aerin Frankel (31) of the United States blocks the shot by Daryl Watts (95) of Canada in the women's ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)

A Team USA skater moves up the ice against Canada in the women's ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19.
(Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)

USA's #17 Britta Curl reacts after falling into the goal during the women's gold medal ice hockey match between USA and Canada at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, on Feb. 19, 2026.
(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Britta Curl #17 of Team United States collides with Renata Fast #14 of Team Canada in the second period during the Women's Gold Medal match between the United States and Canada on day 13 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
(Gregory Shamus, Getty Images)

Kristin O'Neill #43 of Team Canada scores a goal past Aerin Frankel #31 of Team United States in the second period during the Women's Gold Medal match between the United States and Canada on day 13 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
(Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images)

A fan holds up a puck in the second period during the Women's Gold Medal match between the United States and Canada on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
(Sarah Stier, Getty Images)

Britta Curl #17 of Team United States and Ella Shelton #17 of Team Canada compete for the puck in the first period during the Women's Gold Medal match between the United States and Canada on day 13 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
(Bruce Bennett, Getty Images)

Abbey Murphy #37 of Team United States competes for the puck against Ann-Renee Desbiens #35 and Claire Thompson #42 of Team Canada in the first period during the Women's Gold Medal match between the United States and Canada on day 13 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
(Bruce Bennett, Getty Images)

"I mean, maybe in practice," she said. "I wasn't really thinking or planned anything. Just trying to take what was given."

Keller (Farmington Hills, Michigan) became the second Boston Fleet (PWHL) player to score in overtime on Feb. 19 at Santagiulia. In the bronze medal game, Alina Müller scored to lead Switzerland past Sweden, 2-1.

"When she get the puck, I was like, 'I know where she's going to score that,' and she did," Müller said of Keller. "Pretty sick move for a defenseman. But yeah we're going to have a lot of fun back in Boston."

Keller scored at 4:07, sending her teammates rushing over the bench in jubilation.

"Oh my God, it was unreal," said Kelly Pannek. "I mean, she is someone who I think does so much for our team on the ice. Off the ice, she's just such a great person to be around as well. Right when she got that puck, I was like, oh, she's going to try it. She's just such a special player that has had such a great career. It sometimes flies under the radar in ways, but just so stoked that it went in."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA's Megan Keller 'couldn't be happier' after OT goal vs. Canada

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