Team USA sparks comeback to defeat Canada 2–1 for the Olympic gold medal

The GIST: It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish — and yesterday, Team USA women’s hockey embraced the adage, posting a dramatic 2–1 overtime comeback to clinch their third-ever gold medal…all against their archrival Canada, no less. Here’s how the historic dub went down.

💪 Captain America Hilary Knight leads U.S. to win: When you’re the first American hockey player — woman or man — to compete in five Olympics, you know a thing or two about pressure, and Knight certainly met the moment. With Team USA trailing 1–0 for most of the game, Knight perfectly deflected a shot from newcomer Laila Edwards with 2:04 remaining to force overtime.

• Then in 3-on-3 sudden death, three-time Olympian and defender Megan Keller scored an epic Golden Goal, playing hero for the heavily-favored red, white, and blue. Never back down, never what?

🥹 The end of an era: The story of this fierce hockey rivalry cannot be told without the aforementioned Knight and Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin. They’ve been the faces of women’s hockey for the better part of two decades. Knight holds Team USA’s Olympic scoring record; Poulin is the Olympics’ all-time leading scorer. Together, they’ve transformed the game.

• Sixteen years after the duo made their respective Olympic debuts in Vancouver, their final chapter was written yesterday: Though 34-year-old Poulin hasn’t discussed her Olympic future just yet, this was Knight’s final Games. Forever grateful to two of the GOATs.