The Winter Olympics was great for the USA women’s hockey team. Every country had a chance to win Gold. The biggest matchup was Canada vs United States. USA has not won gold since 1998 in that event. Canada has won every single gold matchup since.

2014 was the biggest upset for the USA team. They were up 2-0 in the third period was 5 minutes left. They let Canada tie it and win it in overtime. The Gold medal once again went to Canada.

In 2018, the USA women’s team was stacked up with veterans and new talent. They were ready to dominate the tournament. In the last exhibition game against Canada, they lost. It was a slap in the face for the team as they knew they had to be better.

The women dominated the playoffs beating many other countries. They made it to the Gold Medal game once again against Canada. Early in the game USA took a 1-0 lead in the first period. But the nerves of the USA team showed in the second period when Canada took a fast 2-1 lead. Maddie Rooney, the USA goalie, shook off her own nerves and made many great saves to keep the team in the game.

USA scored a late third period goal to tie the game up, sending it to overtime. Overtime didn’t decide anything for the teams. So it went to a shootout. Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson buried the puck in the net in the sixth round of the shootout, goaltender Maddie Rooney made the final critical save and pandemonium ensued on the ice.

For the first time since 1998, the Canadians were dethroned from the Gold. USA women’s fought hard in their fight to finally capture the gold for not only them but for their country.