MILAN — Hilary Knight was a little more than two minutes away from taking home another consolation prize as a retirement gift from her final Olympic game.
In four previous Olympics, Knight lost to Canada in the gold-medal game three times. On Thursday, in the Milan-Cortina Games, the U.S. team she captains was 124 seconds from doing it again.
That’s when Knight added a bold-faced exclamation point to her spectacular career, deflecting a Laila Edwards slap shot from the high slot through her legs and past Canadian goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens to send the game to overtime, and the U.S. won 2-1 on Megan Keller’s goal 4 minutes 7 seconds into the extra period.
“There was no way we were losing this game,” Knight said. “That’s all. Simple as that.”
The goal was Knight’s 15th in Olympic competition, breaking the American record she shared with Natalie Darwitz and Katie King. It was also her 33rd point in the Olympics, breaking a record she shared with Jenny Porter.
More importantly, however, it made her one of six American women to win multiple Olympic golds in hockey. The other five also played in Thursday’s game.
“I love this group. It’s so special to be able to play at this level,” Knight said. “I feel a lot of gratitude. It’s such a magical moment and I’m just trying to soak it all in.
“I think about all the people that helped me get here. It’s really special. I can’t wait to share this with some people.”
Knight ducked her head and smiled when the medal was hung around her neck, her face a mix of pride and exhaustion. She then draped her arms around the teammates on either side of her and sang the national anthem as the American flag rose above the ice at the Milano Santagiulia Hockey Arena.
With 10 gold medals from the IIHF World Championships, Knight, 36, came to Milan as the most decorated hockey player — male or female — in history. Her second Olympic gold adds to that legacy. She’s also leaving Milan with her future wife because a day before the final, she dropped to one knee and proposed to speedskater Brittany Bowe, whom she met four years ago at the Beijing Games.
“I’ve had a heck of a week personally,” Knight said. “I think I was more nervous with the proposal than I was for the game, to be honest. To cap it off with a gold medal is really awesome.”
Many Canadian players seemed to be in shock when the game ended and were in tears moments later as they made their way to their dressing room, silver medals hanging from necks.
Team USA players hold up their gold medals while celebrating after defeating Canada in Milan on Thursday.
(Robert Gautheir / Los Angeles Times)
“It’s hard to process,” defender Jocelyne Larocque said. “It sucks right now. When Hilary scored it’s a 1-1 hockey game. We were still confident that we could win.
“And then when the overtime goal goes in, it’s tough. It’s hard to put into words.”
Keller had the same problem describing the golden goal.
“I’m lost for words,” she said. “This is an incredible feeling.”
“This is the best team I’ve been a part of,” she added. “Every single player is top tier, best in the world.”
The game wasn’t supposed to be this close. The U.S. had beaten Canada 5-0 in the preliminary round — its seventh consecutive win over its northern neighbor —- and had outscored its other five Olympic opponents 26-1. But for all its obvious talent, the one thing the American team lacked was experience.
Twelve women were playing in their first Olympic tournament and with a gold medal on the line, they looked rattled in a scoreless first period in which they took two penalties – one for too many players on the ice – and were outshot 8-6. It was just the third time in the tournament the U.S. went an entire period without a goal.
Things got even worse 54 seconds into the second period when Kristin O’Neill’s short-handed goal put Canada up 1-0. That snapped a 352-minute scoreless streak for the U.S. and marked the first time the Americans trailed in Milan.
For much of the game Canada was faster, smarter and more poised. And Desbiens, who had been pulled from the preliminary-round loss to the U.S. in the third period after giving up five goals, was spectacular, making 31 saves.
She was still protecting that late into the final period when U.S. coach John Wroblewski pulled goalie Aerin Frankel to get an extra attacker on the ice. Nineteen seconds later Knight scored to keep the Americans alive.
“Not everyone’s going to be great every game, but you need to somehow find ways to win each night,” Wroblewski said.
Knight had a chance to win it early in the three-on-three extra period but Desbiens made the save on a wrister from the right circle. Keller wouldn’t be denied, however. With so much open ice, Taylor Heise was able to send a long pass up the left wing for Keller, who took the puck into the center of the Canadian zone, eluded defender Claire Thompson, then bounced it in off Desbiens.
“Everything happens so fast,” Desbiens said. “On the shots you never quite know where it goes and it squeaked in. I’ll see that one for a long time.”
So will Hilary Knight.