In her last game wearing the Red, White, and Blue, Team USA legend Hilary Knight delivered when the team needed her most.
With under three minutes remaining in the third period of the women’s hockey gold medal game against Canada, the United States found itself in desperation mode, trailing 1-0 and on the brink of a loss. Then, Knight gave the team life.
The United States pulled its goalie, selling out in the game’s final minutes in an attempt to get the game-tying goal. On the offensive end, with 2:04 remaining on the clock, Knight came through as she deflected a shot from defenseman Laila Edwards to even the score, giving Team USA life.
“I remember [coach John Wroblewski] drawing it up,” Knight said after the game via ESPN. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, this is our moment. Here we go.'”
Veteran defenseman Megan Keller finished the job, scoring the golden goal in 3-on-3 overtime to secure the gold medal for the United States, but it was Knight who gave them life in the first place.
The goal also etched Knight’s place in the record books, moving her into sole possession atop the U.S. record book – men’s or women’s – for the most goals (15) and points (33) in an Olympic career. And that might not have even been the most memorable moment for her personally, as she also proposed to her partner, U.S. speedskater Brittany Bowe, two days before the gold medal match.
“Poetic. I said it yesterday, Hilary always goes out with a bang,” longtime teammate Kendall Coyne Schofield said. “From her proposal that had me falling off a chair to her record-breaking goal, you couldn’t script it any better.”
“I think that’s the perfect way for her to break the record,” veteran defenseman Lee Stecklein said. “She carries that pressure and she knows we’re relying on her. If it wasn’t her, I do believe it could have been someone else. But also, it’s so not surprising for it to be her because that’s just who she is and who she’s always been.”
With that, Knight officially ends her career as definitively the most decorated hockey player in Team USA history, and it sounds like she’s perfectly content with her career.
“I’ve had a heck of a career personally, it’s been an incredible ride,” Knight said. “I have to soak this all in because this room is just so special, this team is so special. This is the best U.S. hockey team I’ve ever been a part of. That is just so tremendous.”
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