Gold medalist Hilary Knight #21 of Team United States celebrates after the medal ceremony for Women’s Ice Hockey after 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 February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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Tyler Erzberger

By Tyler Erzberger

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Team USA's Megan Keller became a national hero on Thursday when she scored the game-winning gold medal goal in overtime to beat Canada in the Winter Olympic Games.

In the women's hockey tournament final, the Americans tied it up late in the third period with a tally from legendary captain Hilary Knight. After pushing it into 3-on-3 extra time, the two sides went back and forth before Keller was sprung on a long pass to finish off the game.

Keller's goal was one of the biggest moments of the past two weeks at the Olympics, and the game's viewership proved it.

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MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 19: Hilary Knight #21 of Team United States celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the third 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 February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

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"NBC says that the United States-Canada gold medal game was the most-watched women’s hockey game on record," per Richard Deitsch.

"The game averaged 5.3 million viewers on USA Network and Peacock. The game’s audience peaked at 7.7 million viewers in overtime (3:45-4 p.m. ET)."

It's been a monumental Olympics for American hockey across the board for the women and the men. The women's team went over 300 minutes without allowing a goal in the tournament before Canada scored on a shorthander in the gold medal contest.

For the men, Team USA will also face Canada in their gold medal final after running over Slovakia in the semis. Canada squeaked by Finland in their second-straight overtime win, coming back late to tie it in regulation.

It was a perfect sendoff for American captain Knight, who was the idol of many of the women on the team growing up. She helped many of her younger teammates, as kids, rise through the system, and they are now thriving as adults alongside her.

And over 7 million people got to see her golden goodbye to international hockey.

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