By Trevor Stynes and Amy Tennery
MILAN, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The United States tasted revenge sweeter than maple syrup as they came from behind to beat defending champions Canada 2-1 to win gold in an overtime thriller in women's ice hockey at the Milano Cortina Olympics on Thursday.
Megan Keller netted the winner to dethrone their arch rivals in an instant classic, sealing a spine-tingling affair and bringing a roar of American joy that echoed throughout Santagiulia Arena.
The U.S. looked headed for more disappointment after losing to their hated foes four years ago, as they were kept off the scoreboard and trailing late in the third period.
But captain Hilary Knight played the hero one more time in her fifth and final Olympics, tying it to take the tight-checking Games decider to three-on-three sudden death hockey, where Keller went around defender Claire Thompson and slipped the puck past the Canadian goalie to clinch a third Olympic gold for the U.S. women.
The game gave fans yet another classic chapter in the sport's greatest rivalry, and the packed stands offered duelling chants of "Canada!" and "USA!" from puck drop.
"I was just trying to make a move, take a chance. I was trying to win, not play to not lose. That's what we talked about in the locker room," said Keller.
"In my view, this is the best hockey team the world has ever seen."
ROOK-TO-KNIGHT SENDS GAME TO OT
The Americans were the favourites after handing Canada their first-ever Olympic shutout 5-0 in the group stage, but fears of a one-sided final were soon dispelled as the Canadian goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens put on a lights-out performance through the first period.
The U.S. had a prime chance to break the impasse with a power play at the start of the second. Instead, the crafty Canadian squad flexed their muscle as Laura Stacey gathered the puck in the neutral zone, charged forward and sent it across for Kristin O'Neill, who made a nifty backhand move to score the shorthanded goal.
Finding themselves behind for the first time in the tournament, the U.S. could not find a way past Desbiens until they pulled their goalie for an extra skater with just over two minutes left in regulation.
Knight redirected a shot from Olympic rookie Laila Edwards for their desperation first goal, breaking the all-time U.S. women's goals record at the Winter Olympics in the process.
"She's been a part of every historic moment since she's been a part of this team. For her to get that goal was obviously most important for our team but also just a huge honour for her to break that record," said Kelly Pannek, Knight's teammate on their 2018 gold medal-winning group.
"It's something we all want for her."
This was the third time in the last four Games that the two sides have battled into overtime in an Olympic final, and the crowd held its breath before Keller finished off the Canadians with just over four minutes gone in overtime.
"Everything happened fast," Desbiens said of the score that just squeaked over the line. "I'll see that one for a long time."
U.S. goalie Aerin Frankel also proved up to the test, ultimately turning aside 30 of 31 shots the Canadians sent her way.
With their coach John Wroblewski weeping tears of joy behind the bench, the American team erupted in celebration, and the Canadian side could only stand by grimly ahead of the medal ceremony, as fans danced to Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA."
It marked the once-dominant Canadians' eighth successive loss to the Americans.
"A sense of accomplishment through the players, that’s where you feel it, watching their elation, their victory," said Wroblewski. "It touches every part of you as a human being."
RED, WHITE AND THE CANADIAN BLUES
The Canadians had long held the upper hand on the United States, with five Olympic golds. But cracks in the ice beneath their feet were beginning to show before they even stepped into the rink in Milan.
The United States won the world championship last year before sweeping the Canadians in the four-game Rivalry Series in November and December, leaving Canada fans with a queasy feeling just weeks before the Games were set to begin.
As American youth triumphed over Canadian experience on Thursday, U.S. fans can allow themselves to dream of more hardware to come, with several collegiate players on the team yet to reach the professional ranks.
The U.S. were playing in their seventh Olympic championship game, having missed just one since the women were added to the Games' programme in 1998.
Switzerland took the bronze medal earlier on Thursday with a 2-1 overtime win over Sweden.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes and Amy Tennery in Milan, additional reporting by Giulio Piovaccari and Janina Nuno Rios; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
