(File Photo: Source for Photo: United States’ players celebrate after a women’s ice hockey gold medal game between the United States and Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Milan, Italy) The United States women’s hockey team won the gold medal in the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games in Italy after defeating Canada yesterday 2-1 in overtime, thanks to a game-winning goal from Megan Keller. Hilary Knight also scored a goal for the U.S. to tie the game at 1-1 with two minutes and four seconds left in the game in her fifth and final Olympic appearance. Four of the players on the 2026 U.S. women’s hockey team also have ties to Pittsburgh. Forward Hannah Bilka, Laila Edwards, who plays on defense, along with goaltenders Ava McNaughton and Gwyneth Phillips, are the four players that once played for Pens Elite, which is the premiere youth hockey league in Cranberry Township and they are all first-time Olympians.