They were 124 seconds way from winning in regulation, so close to defending the title they won in Beijing
You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.
MILAN – During the agonizing wait for the medals to be awarded following a heart-breaking overtime loss to the U.S., Canada’s captain for the ages, Marie-Philip Poulin, tried to do the impossible and ease the pain.
Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.
Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
One by one, she worked her way down the line of players, offering her beloved teammates a hug and words of consolation after what had been labelled as an overmatched group of Canadians played their guts out, only to fall 2-1 in overtime to their heated rivals.
Even more painful: They were 124 seconds way from winning in regulation, so close to defending the title they won in Beijing and doing so in dramatic, upset fashion.
Instead, it was U.S. players spilling over the boards in pure elation, celebrating their second Olympic title in the past three Games.
Megan Keller was the golden goal hero for the U.S, deftly deking Canadian defender Claire Thompson before back-handing the puck behind Canadian goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens, 4:07 into the three-on-three overtime.
With just over two minutes remaining in regulation, the American’s relentless captain Hilary Knight had tied it with a clever tip-in that slipped past Desbiens, who so nearly had the most incredible night of her career.
In the end, it was a bitter disappointment for the Canadians, who had been written off by so many but fought so valiantly to mute that noise.
And the emotions were as raw as they were real, standing in the neutral zone waiting for the silver medal to be lowered around their necks, a prize that shone nowhere near as brightly the one they so desperately wanted and so nearly achieved.
The Canadian words spilled out haltingly and often mixed with the tears, the pride of coming so close mixed with the pain.
Renata Fast, her chest out, head held high: “Despite coming away with the medal we obviously didn’t want, I think we can all step away from this game and be really proud of the effort and the hart and the passion we played with.”
Laura Stacey, voice breaking, struggling for words: “It’s the gold medal game at the Olympics. We’re Team Canada. We have a whole lot of pride. And 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.”
Brianne Jenner, her voice choking up as well: “A lot of emotions. A lot of gratitude to be a part of this group. But a lot of heartbreak.”
The result wasn’t what they wanted and the play wasn’t always crisp, but the gallant group of Canadians came out determined to do it their way. The approach was classic, play-your-rear-end-off Canadian style, with an elbows up determination to show the Americans they weren’t all that.
They came to prove that all may not quite be as it seems in the world of women’s hockey, that perhaps a U.S. takeover was not quite complete.
Instead of an upset, it was perhaps then the most difficult defeat of all, even if the Canadians were in large part responsible for their undoing.
For as close as they were to winning Olympic gold for the sixth time, they also were sloppy and desperate with the puck far too often.
The turnovers were hard to watch, on one hand making the prospect of the U.S. comeback seem inevitable.
On the other hand, the closer the clock ticked towards 60 minutes – even if it felt agonizingly slow at times – the more it seemed like Kristen O’Neill’s short-handed goal 54 seconds into the second period might hold up as the ultimate golden one.
Instead, the Americans have now captured two of the past three Olympic golds, narrowing Canada’s overall lead in that department to 5-3.
They finished off an undefeated 7-0 tournament in which they outscored the opposition 33-2.
Worse for the Canadians, the American stranglehold over the previous 12 months now includes eight consecutive wins, many of them lopsided.
Because of that domination, few gave the Canadians a chance to make a game of this.
Instead, they almost pulled off a shock-the-world moment from these Milan-Cortina Olympics.
“It’s a tough spot to be in and you don’t want to be in there hearing not your anthem (after the medal ceremony),” veteran forward Nat Spooner said. “So you go back to work and you make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
In the moment, it will be difficult not to celebrate the resolve the Canadians showed and the near miss of what would have been viewed seen as a monumental upset given the dominance this fast, young and skilled American team had shown in destroying the opposition over the previous two weeks.
“We wanted to play in their face and relentless hockey and that’s what they did,” Poulin said. “Overtime, Canada-U.S. the gold medal game. It’s not a surprise here. It’s why it’s the greatest rivalry in the sport.”
Going forward, there will be questions.
Will this be it for Poulin, a surefire Hockey Hall of Famer, a five-time Olympian and the all-time leading scorer in the games?
And perhaps more significantly, how will the Canadians match the American juggernaut, a program loaded with youth and talent?
But those are questions for another day. In the moment – a so-close to glorious one for a prideful program – the effort, if not the end result is cause for celebration.
They did it the Canadian way and were so near to being rewarded with the ultimate golden moment.
“The first thing that came to my mind watching them console each other is how close and tight knit this group is,” Canadian coach Troy Ryan said. “In sports, we throw around words like love and trust and care a lot and they’re overused at times.
“I think this group truly does care and love and trust each other.”
And finally, back to that potentially final on-ice act of Poulin’s role as their indomitable captain, the excruciating real-time processing of a near miss that will never be forgotten.
As she embraced each of her teammates, the words from Poulin perhaps never meant more.
“She told us just how proud she is of all of us,” Fast said. “She’s the best captain possible. Everyone just loves the person that she is because she makes an effort to have a relationship with every player.
“It was nice to have that moment.”
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.
Good plane food does exist — even in economy
It’s the perfect bag for a Canadian girl on the go. Here’s why
Thoughtful gifts to bring when visiting friends and family during Ramadan or Eid
Take advantage of these Amazon Canada deals before they’re gone
Amid threats of annexation, a trip to the Far North reveals unspoken bonds that are more pronounced than ever
365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4
© 2026 National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited.
This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
You can manage saved articles in your account.
and save up to 100 articles!
You can manage your saved articles in your account and clicking the X located at the bottom right of the article.
Hockey News