Hilary Knight ends Olympic career with overtime heroics and historic fifth medal
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Feb 21, 2026, 01:06 IST
![<div class="flex flex-col text-sm pb-25"><article class="text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&:has([data-writing-block])>*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" tabindex="-1" dir="auto" data-turn-id="72526af3-a4a7-40b3-bb7e-967c0fdd8efd" data-testid="conversation-turn-108" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn="assistant"><div class="text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)"><div tabindex="-1" class="[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn"><div class="flex max-w-full flex-col grow"><div data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="e2ff8be4-ec5f-487e-ac57-8f636d9be2ad" dir="auto" data-message-model-slug="gpt-5-2" class="min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&]:mt-1"><div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]"><div class="markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full wrap-break-word light markdown-new-styling"><p data-start="969" data-end="1088" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">Hilary Knight ends Olympic career with overtime heroics and historic fifth medal</p></div></div></div></div><div class="z-0 flex min-h-[46px] justify-start"></div></div></div></article></div><div aria-hidden="true" data-edge="true" class="pointer-events-none h-px w-px absolute bottom-0"></div>](https://staticimg.publishstory.co/thumb/128620960.cms?imgsize=133826&width=760&height=428&resizemode=4 "<div class=\"flex flex-col text-sm pb-25\"><article class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&:has([data-writing-block])>*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" tabindex=\"-1\" dir=\"auto\" data-turn-id=\"72526af3-a4a7-40b3-bb7e-967c0fdd8efd\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-108\" data-scroll-anchor=\"true\" data-turn=\"assistant\"><div class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)\"><div tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\"><div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col grow\"><div data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"e2ff8be4-ec5f-487e-ac57-8f636d9be2ad\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-2\" class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&]:mt-1\"><div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]\"><div class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full wrap-break-word light markdown-new-styling\"><p data-start=\"969\" data-end=\"1088\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Hilary Knight ends Olympic career with overtime heroics and historic fifth medal</p></div></div></div></div><div class=\"z-0 flex min-h-[46px] justify-start\"></div></div></div></article></div><div aria-hidden=\"true\" data-edge=\"true\" class=\"pointer-events-none h-px w-px absolute bottom-0\"></div>")
Hilary Knight ends Olympic career with overtime heroics and historic fifth medal
Hilary Knight closed her Olympic career in unforgettable fashion, leading Team USA to a dramatic overtime victory over Canada in the gold-medal game in Milan. With less than three minutes remaining in regulation, Knight tipped in the tying goal to force overtime, setting the stage for Megan Keller’s sudden-death winner and securing the United States’ first Olympic women’s hockey gold since 2018. Knight’s equalizer marked her 33rd career Olympic point and 15th goal, both American records, and made her the first U.S. hockey player to win five Olympic medals. The 36-year-old delivered six points in the tournament, scoring in group play against Czechia and Finland while adding key assists. Revered by younger teammates who once idolized her, Knight also announced her engagement to speed skater Brittany Bowe during the Games. If this was her final Olympic appearance, she exited with gold, records, and a lasting legacy.
Team USA captain Hilary Knight ended her Olympic career in the most dramatic way possible, by leading the United States to defeat Canada in the gold-medal game at the Milano Santaguilia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan. The Team won in overtime after Megan Keller scored the sudden-death goal, and helped the U.S. to win its first Olympic gold in women’s hockey since 2018.
Knight forced overtime with less than three minutes left in regulation, tipping in the equalizer when the U.S. was running out of time. The goal was more than just clutch. It gave her 33 career Olympic points and 15 goals, the most by any American player in Olympic history. The 36-year-old also became the first American hockey player, male or female, to win five Olympic medals.
“This is my last Games and I've had a heck of a week personally, so it's been an incredible ride,” Knight said after the win.
Knight’s tournament had already been strong. She scored against Czechia and Finland in group play, becoming one of the few players to score in five different Olympics. She also recorded assists against Switzerland and Canada, finishing the tournament with six points. In the game against Finland, she briefly left the ice after a collision near the bench but returned and still found the back of the net.
Younger teammates have grown up watching her play. Haley Winn once took a photo with Knight at a hockey camp when she was a child. Laila Edwards assisted on Knight’s record-breaking goal in the final, a full-circle moment for a player who once looked up to her from the stands.
Taylor Heise kept it simple when talking about Knight’s impact. “She's the best player in the world,” she said.
Knight has often avoided attention and prefers to talk about her team instead of her records. After the gold-medal win, she called this the best U.S. team she has ever been part of. She also celebrated a personal milestone during the Games, announcing her engagement to U.S. speed skater Brittany Bowe.
Many wondered if this would truly be her final Olympics, but Knight had already made her decision clear before the tournament. If this was the last time she wore the Olympic jersey, she made sure it ended with a gold medal, a record, and one final reminder of why she has led USA Hockey for nearly two decades.
Knight forced overtime with less than three minutes left in regulation, tipping in the equalizer when the U.S. was running out of time. The goal was more than just clutch. It gave her 33 career Olympic points and 15 goals, the most by any American player in Olympic history. The 36-year-old also became the first American hockey player, male or female, to win five Olympic medals.
“This is my last Games and I've had a heck of a week personally, so it's been an incredible ride,” Knight said after the win.
Knight’s tournament had already been strong. She scored against Czechia and Finland in group play, becoming one of the few players to score in five different Olympics. She also recorded assists against Switzerland and Canada, finishing the tournament with six points. In the game against Finland, she briefly left the ice after a collision near the bench but returned and still found the back of the net.
Younger teammates have grown up watching her play. Haley Winn once took a photo with Knight at a hockey camp when she was a child. Laila Edwards assisted on Knight’s record-breaking goal in the final, a full-circle moment for a player who once looked up to her from the stands.
Taylor Heise kept it simple when talking about Knight’s impact. “She's the best player in the world,” she said.
Knight has often avoided attention and prefers to talk about her team instead of her records. After the gold-medal win, she called this the best U.S. team she has ever been part of. She also celebrated a personal milestone during the Games, announcing her engagement to U.S. speed skater Brittany Bowe.
Many wondered if this would truly be her final Olympics, but Knight had already made her decision clear before the tournament. If this was the last time she wore the Olympic jersey, she made sure it ended with a gold medal, a record, and one final reminder of why she has led USA Hockey for nearly two decades.