U.S. Women’s Hockey Team Claims Gold

The U.S. women’s hockey team has earned its third gold medal in Olympic history.  Team USA defeated the Canadian team 2-1 in a nail-biting game Thursday in Milan.  Canada’s Kristin O’Neill sank the game’s first goal during the second period.  With just over two minutes left in the third period, Team USA captain and four-time Olympian Hilary Knight scored to bring the game into overtime.  This was the third time in the last four Olympics that the U.S. and Canada women’s hockey teams needed extra minutes to decide the gold-medal champion.  With her goal, Knight broke the Team USA Olympic record for goals, bringing it to 15.  A 36-year-old California native, Knight previously announced that this year’s Olympic Games would be her last.  Less than a minute into overtime, Megan Keller scored to bring Team USA the win.  Earlier on Thursday, Switzerland bested Sweden 2-1 in overtime to take bronze.