Megan Keller’s overtime strike settled the first instalment of an ugly neighbourly dispute at these Olympics.
Keller secured the United States their first women’s hockey gold in eight years, their Canadian rivals looking as though they had been handed a bucket of sick rather than silver.
There is little that is friendly about this furnace-like overheated rivalry. Make no mistake: these two teams despise each other, and bad blood is often spilled alongside tears in the resulting border spat.
At major events, fans have witnessed them refuse to share lifts, and there have even been stories — denied by both sides — of respective flags being desecrated.
When it comes to hockey, for these two sides taking part at the Olympics means very little; it is win or nothing.
In a tetchy final, Canada broke the deadlock while short-handed, Laura Stacey’s threaded pass slapped home by Kristin O’Neill, a goal against the run of play.
Canada’s goalkeeper Ann-Renée Desbiens pulled off save after save to maintain the advantage, as time seemed to be running out for the increasingly desperate USA.
But the pressure eventually told when the US captain Hilary Knight, who had struggled to make her usual impact, levelled the score with just two minutes remaining.
No hockey player has made more appearances for the USA at the Games than the future Hall of Famer Knight, and none have scored more goals.
And this – the 16th of an Olympic career that started in Vancouver 16 years ago – was the most important of them all. Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin may need to hand over her ‘Captain Clutch’ nickname.
With overtime secured, it took four minutes of close-quarters action before Keller fired home, giddily emptying the USA bench on to the ice in a flurry of helmets and gloves, while the Canadians simply slumped in dejection.
The highest peaks and deepest valleys of this Winter Olympic experience captured in one image. “I’m lost for words,” said Keller.
“This is an incredible feeling. I love these girls so much. This group deserves it. The effort and faith we have kept through this four-year journey is something very special.”
Canada may be the defending champions but the US had won their previous seven encounters, echoing 2002 when their winning streak over their neighbours reached eight — only for Canada to edge a thriller on their home ice at the Salt Lake City Games.
This time they delivered the victory that was expected — and now they want the US men to complete the double. They play Slovakia in Friday’s semi-final, while Canada, on the other side of the draw, face Finland.
“Hopefully we’ve shown the guys how to do it,” said Knight, who returns from the Olympics with a gold medal and an engagement, following a proposal to US Olympic team-mate, speed skater Brittany Bowe this week.
Lee Stecklein was full of praise for her captain, in what will be her final international match, claiming it was not just her actions but her words that inspired the USA to keep believing as the clock ticked inexorably, and excruciatingly, down.
“That’s the perfect way to end it, she’s the best player of all time,” she said. “To score goals like that, as consistently as she did, it’s insane and we always believe because of her.
“We know that she’s someone who gets that done when no-one gives us a chance. She always tell us it’s not over until that buzzer goes. If it wasn’t her, it was going to be someone else, but it is really special that it was her.”
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