Hilary Knight’s last Olympics far from swan song. US hockey star ‘best in world’

MILAN — Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” blasted on the speakers at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan ahead of the gold-medal game between the U.S. women’s national hockey team and Canada.

“I got a feelin’ that tonight’s gonna be a good night,” musician Will.i.am sang on the track. The song served as a premonition for what was to come: USA captain Hilary Knight had a good night, indeed.

The five-time Olympian scored a late equalizer to send the game to overtime, where Megan Keller’s sudden-death goal lifted the Americans to the top of the podium for the first time since 2018. Knight’s goal not only kept the Americans’ hopes alive, it also established a new all-time U.S. Olympic record in points (33) and goals (15).

Knight, the first American hockey player, male or female, to win five Olympic medals, announced the 2026 Winter Games would be her last, but the 36-year-old proved her final Olympic lap was far from a swan song.

“Hilary always goes out with a bang,” Kendall Coyne Schofield said, referring to Knight’s whirlwind week filled with a marriage proposal to Brittany Bowe and a gold medal. “I mean you can’t script it any better.”

Knight is not your typical superstar. She doesn’t like to bask in the limelight and would prefer if it weren’t on her at all. When Knight scored her 14th career Olympic goal in Team USA’s 5-0 win over Finland on Feb. 7, she had “no idea” she tied the U.S. Olympic all-time scoring record held by Natalie Darwitz and Katie King.

While Knight noted it’s “super special” to be mentioned among legendary players like Darwitz and King, she said the goal was no less special than every other she’s scored along the way. And Knight has done plenty of that.

“I just love scoring and the pure elation of finding the back of the net and putting our team in a better position than we were before,” added Knight. “It’s just a little kid moment… It’s pure excitement and it’s fun to celebrate.”

Although Knight herself couldn’t care less about adding yet another record to her resume, some began to wonder if she would reach the points and scoring record before her Olympic career ended. Team USA crushed Italy and Sweden in the quarterfinal and semifinals, respectively, but Knight didn’t get on the score sheet in either game.

But leave it to Knight to step up when Team USA needed her most. With their backs against the wall and the clock ticking down on their dreams, Knight tipped in a goal with less than three minutes remaining in regulation.

When asked what went through her head after scoring, Knight recalled, “We’re going to win the game. It was just that simple. Obviously we peppered their goaltender a lot and picked up momentum throughout the game, but you never want to run out of time, especially with a great team. So to find the back of the net, I was like, here we go, this is ours… it’s a special feeling. It’s a rare feeling, but you get that feeling with this group.”

Lee Stecklein said it was the “perfect way for her to break (the record).” Stecklein added, “She’s the best player of all time. To score goals like that as consistently as she did… it’s just a classic Hilary Knight.”

It’s also typical Knight fashion to quickly shifted the spotlight off her personal accolades onto what matters most: her teammates. That’s what has kept her playing for two decades.

“I didn’t want to put more pressure on us leading into… this tournament by saying we’re the best hockey team in the world. I truly felt that at every single step,” Knight said. “This was a testament to our preparation and the togetherness and the love and the family environment that we created in that room that we’re willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done and do it for one another.”

Knight has influenced an entire generation of players throughout her career, many of whom are now her teammates who will carry on the legacy of the U.S. national team when she’s gone. First-time Olympian Haley Winn recalls taking a photo with Knight in upstate New York at a hockey camp when she was younger.

“Obviously she’s someone a lot of us have looked up to since we were little,” said Haley Winn, who scored her first Olympic goal in USA’s win over Switzerland on Feb. 9. “I know I have a picture with her from when I was probably seven or eight, so to be able to play on a team with her obviously is it leaves you kind of speechless.”

Winn isn’t the only one. Tessa Janecke, Laila Edwards, Hannah Bilka and Caroline Harvey have all idolized Knight in their youth. It was Edwards who assisted Knight’s historic goal on Thursday, alongside Keller.

“It’s unbelievable. It just seemed to be a very small part of what Hilary’s accomplished,” Edwards said. “I’m so honored and to learn from her every day, it’s just been such a blessing.”

Knight doesn’t have to say too much to lead. Her coaches and teammates describe her as a “silent force,” who leads by example, as cliche as that may sound. “Her actions mean everything,” added Taylor Heise, who said she just likes to sit and observe how Knight operates on a daily basis, “as weird as that sounds.”

“She knows how to bring a group together, like ‘Let’s go and fight and we’re going to go to the end,’ and it’s inspiring to be around. She’s an amazing human being,” said U.S. women’s hockey coach John Wroblewski, who was brought to tears after the gold-medal win. “(Knight) needs her teammates and I think that she’s as cognizant of that as anybody can imagine.”

Knight has scored two goals in as many games to open Olympic play. Her first came in the second period of USA’s 5-1 win over Czechia on Feb. 5 to become the third player to score in five different Olympics, joining Canadians Jayna Hefford and Hayley Wickenheiser. Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin later joined the list and surpassed Wickenheiser (18) as the all-time leading women’s Olympic scorer with 20 goals.

Knight again found the back of the net in the second period against Finland on Feb. 7, which was all the more impressive considering the veteran left the ice in the first period with an apparent injury.

Finland forward Ida Kuoppala collided with Knight’s left leg right in front of the U.S. bench as Knight possessed the puck with 4:28 remaining in the first period. Knight’s left leg buckled and she immediately fell down to the ice, where she withered in pain. She went right off the ice and didn’t return with the starting line the remainder of the first period as she received medical attention on the bench.

“When we saw her kind of roll over and got hurt a little bit, (it) almost brought me to tears on the bench,” Heise recalled. “(Knight) is such a resilient player and she worked so hard and you could see her when she got in the locker room, it didn’t phase her. Straight to the trainer and did what she needed to do and figured it out.”

Knight recorded two assists in USA’s 5-0 shutout of Switzerland on Feb. 9, in addition to an assist in the team’s 5-0 win over Canada on Feb. 10. She finished with six points in the tournament.

“She’s the best player in the world,” Heise added.

Her performance was so good that many questioned whether Knight should retire or run it back.

Heise said she’s “never going to count (Knight) out,” while Coyne Schofield added, “I don’t put anything past Hillary Knight. Whatever goals in her head, she’s going to accomplish it.”

She accomplished her goal of winning a gold medal and even dished out a silver engagement ring to her fiancé, U.S. speed skater Brittany Bowe, all in the span of 48 hours.

“This is my last Games and I’ve had a heck of a week personally, so it’s been an incredible ride and I have to soak this all in because this room is just so special,” Knight said. “This team is so special. This is the best US hockey team I’ve ever been a part of and that is just so tremendous.”

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