Despite heartbreaking loss, Team Canada proud of each other
Team Canada’s women’s hockey team saved their best for last.
It just wasn’t quite enough in the gold medal game of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
Canada, leading 1-0 in the third period, was 2:04 away from defending the gold they won in Beijing 2022. The United States, with goaltender Aerin Frankel on the bench for an extra attacker, scored to tie the game at 1-1. Then, 4:07 into three-on-three overtime, Megan Keller netted the winner, giving the Americans a 2-1 win and the gold medal.
“You see the tears. You feel the emotions,” said veteran forward Laura Stacey, playing in her third Olympic Games. “We were minutes away from having gold medals around our necks, and I think the reason it hurts so bad is because of how much pride we have. How proud I am of that locker room. It hasn’t been easy. It’s been quite the journey, but every single person in that locker room played for one another today, and I think that’s something we’ve got to take away from this.”
READ: Team Canada wins women’s hockey silver at Milano Cortina 2026
Canada faced adversity throughout Milano Cortina 2026 – perhaps more so than previous Olympic Games – and it started immediately. Canada’s first game of the preliminary round was postponed after several members of the Finnish team were suffering from norovirus. That led to the Canadians having a longer preliminary round than the majority of teams.
After defeating Switzerland 4-0 in their new tournament opener, disaster struck in their second game when captain Marie-Philip Poulin took a hit along the boards and suffered a lower body injury. Canada went on to defeat Czechia 5-1 but lost Poulin for the final two games of the preliminary round.
Playing without their captain, Canada was thumped 5-0 by the Americans, a game that saw the Canadians struggle both offensively and defensively.
Canada ended the preliminary round with a 5-0 win over Finland and then, with Poulin back in the lineup, defeated Germany 5-1 in the quarterfinals. While Canada often cruises into the gold medal game, they had their toughest semifinal at an Olympic Games to date, narrowly beating Switzerland 2-1 on the strength of two goals from Poulin.
READ: Poulin pushes Team Canada into women’s hockey gold medal game
There were certainly concerns about Canada’s play heading into the final, but those doubts were quickly erased. Canada looked prepared, fast and strong against the Americans, playing their best hockey of the tournament. They scored first against the Americans – something no other team had done at Milano Cortina 2026 – but it just wasn’t enough.
“It’s the gold medal game at the Olympics,” said Stacey on how the squad was able to have their best game of the tournament. “We’re Team Canada. We have a whole lot of pride, and I think every single person in that locker room wanted it. Wanted it for their country, wanted it for this team, but more importantly, wanted it for the person next to them, and I think that’s what showed tonight. It wasn’t about anything other than doing whatever it takes, and it hurt. It wasn’t pretty. We knew it wasn’t going to be, and unfortunately we fell just inches short. But what we did as a group, what we showed tonight, I think there’s a hell of a lot to be proud of.”
Canada entered the gold medal game having lost their last seven matches against the United States, which included getting swept in this season’s four-game Rivalry Series. The Canadians were underdogs on Thursday, something the team embraced, said defenseman Renata Fast. It nearly won them gold.
“I think we had great conversations yesterday about embracing the underdog mentality,” said Fast, who played a staggering 31:22 in the gold medal game. “We were well aware of the position we were in. We were excited about being in that position, to go out there and play an honest game, play a team game and see where it can take us. So the group did a great job sticking to that game plan today.”
READ: Poulin returns as Team Canada defeats Germany to advance to Olympic semifinals
Any doubts about the team’s play didn’t make it into the dressing room, said defenseman Erin Ambrose, who left the game late in the third period after taking a hard hit into the boards.
“Definitely none of it got into our group,” Ambrose said about the outside noise. “There was no part of our group that didn’t believe in each other and one another. I think all the way through overtime, the belief was there.”
This was the latest in a long line of classic Olympic gold medal games between Canada and the United States. Of the eight all-time women’s Olympic hockey matches, seven have featured Canada facing the United States. Five of those seven have been decided by a single goal with three being determined in overtime or a shootout.
Canada now looks ahead to French Alps 2030, where there could potentially be several new additions to the team’s lineup. The Canadians had the oldest team at Milano Cortina 2026, opting to bring a roster full of Olympic experience to these Games.
There were certainly some positives from Canada’s younger players. The team was led in scoring by 26-year-old Daryl Watts who had eight points, while 25-year-old Sarah Fillier had six points, and 24-year-old Julia Gosling had five. On the backend, 25-year-old Sophie Jaques had three assists.
READ: Team Canada closes women’s hockey preliminary play with win over Finland
Much of the talk following the gold medal game, though, was focused on their most experienced player: Poulin. With three goals and an assist, Poulin became the all-time leader in goals in Olympic women’s hockey.
“Of all of us, she’s the best captain possible,” said Fast. “Everyone just loves the person that she is because she makes an effort to have a relationship with every player. So it’s really special to have a captain like that that leads us both with her play, but also with the type of person she is.”
It was clear that the 34-year-old was not fully healthy after returning from injury. It was also clear that she’s beloved by her teammates and continues to be the heartbeat of the team.
“It hurts. She’s our leader. She’s a warrior,” said an emotional Stacey. “It sucks to see her in pain, but man, you would never know. She battled hard. She’s our rock. She’s our leader. She showed it. She did everything possible she could, and I think our team followed her every single step of the way, and I think every single one of us can be really proud of her and this entire team.”
