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Megan Keller speaks out after incredible Olympic golden goal vs. Canada
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- Megan Keller speaks out after incredible Olympic golden goal vs. Canada
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The United States women's ice hockey team beat North American rival Canada 2-1 to capture the gold for the third time on Thursday, capping off one of the most anticipated and thrilling matchups of the 2026 Olympic Games. At the heart of that victory was Megan Keller, who helped anchor the American blue line with a steady presence and scored the game-winner in overtime.
Keller opened up about Team USA 's process throughout the contest after the game, detailing their bounce-back from a slow first period to their hard-fought victory, according to NHL.com. "[We had to keep our composure], I think, period by period. [We] started a little nervous," Keller started. "Obviously, Canada's an incredible team, some powerful offense and great goaltending.
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"And for us, I think, just building our identity each period, each shift, and especially late in the game, we were just trying to get to that hard paint, get pucks through those first and second [layers]," Keller continued. "They were blocking a lot of shots, and [fortunately] enough, Laila [Edwards] had a great shot, and [Hilary Knight] with an amazing tip."
Team USA's resilience, discipline, and unity were on display against its fiercest rival on the world's biggest stage. Keller then touched on the significance of the moment and the personal meaning it holds for her.
"It's an honor to represent our country and wear USA across our chest and to bring home a gold medal," Keller said. "Hopefully, we inspired a nation. Hopefully, we inspired a lot of little girls, young hockey players that, you know, maybe have a dream to come represent their country one day."
The gold medal victory was especially meaningful given the long-standing rivalry between the two programs. Seven out of eight Winter Olympics have featured the US and Canada in the gold medal game, with 2006 being the exception, and every meeting between the teams carries emotional and competitive weight.
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Team USA dominated Canada leading up to the Olympics, taking all four games of the Rivalry Series in November and December. Then the winning continued in the group stage, where the US beat Canada 5-0 en route to a historic shutout streak .
For Keller, though, making it to the top of the podium is a culmination of years of dedication from collegiate success to international competition. Her celebration with teammates symbolized not only personal achievement but also a milestone for American women's hockey.
Related: Watch Tage Thompson slap sweet goal vs. Team Slovakia in Olympics clash
Related: Jack Hughes' epic 2nd goal has Team USA on brink of gold medal game
