Megan Keller’s golden goal at the Olympics for the US explained, from the pass to the move

MILAN (AP) - Taylor Heise was tired, and she knew Megan Keller could skate fast. The end result was the golden goal in overtime that gave the U.S. an emotional victory over Canada in the women's hockey final at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Thursday night.

Keller's 3-on-3 goal 4:07 into overtime was a highlight-reel masterpiece from start to finish.

It started with a perfect, nearly 100-foot outlet pass from Heise behind her own goal line to Keller just past the center red line.

"Meg was flying up the ice," Heise said. "She was calling for the puck and I kind of wanted to change, so I chucked it up to her."

Keller did the rest. With the puck on her forehand, she went backhand to completely deke out defender Claire Thompson.

"When she get the puck, I was like, 'I know where she's going to score that,' and she did," said Switzerland's Alina Muller, a teammate of Keller's in the PWHL with Boston who scored her country's bronze-winning goal earlier in the day. "Pretty sick move for a defenseman."

After she and her teammates talked before overtime about playing to win and not to lose, Keller calmed her nerves when she entered the attacking zone.

"A lot of times you get a little nervous trying to make a move," Keller said. "Heise made a great pass up to me, just saw one defender and thought: 'Why not?' Try to take a chance her, get to the net."

With Thompson beat, Keller was 1 on 1 with Ann-Renee Desbiens, Canada's goaltender who was terrific throughout regulation to make it such a competitive game. The move put Desbiens in a difficult spot.

"Obviously when she cut to the middle with a backhand shot, it's very hard to predict where it can go," Desbiens said. "I was reaching, and then obviously it squeaks through."

Heise was skating toward the bench and never even saw Keller shoot and score. She figured out the puck went into the net from the reaction of the other U.S. players.

"That's all that matters," Heise said. "People are already throwing their arms up, throwing the helmets and then I just turned around real quick, threw my gloves off. Couldn't get my helmet off, so I just skated to the mix of everyone."

Laila Edwards, who had the shot that Hilary Knight deflected in with 2:04 left to tie it after Canada led to that point, was watching closely.

"Oh, I saw it," Edwards said. "I saw it. It was unbelievable. I thought it was Connor McDavid out there. It doesn't surprise me because I know she's got those things up her sleeve, but I'm so proud of her and I love playing with her."

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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics