Team USA is Golden in Czechia

It took nearly an entire extra period of hockey, but Team USA is back on top of the world.

The game got off to a fast start, with teams trading chances back and forth in period one. The goaltenders held strong, and Team Canada came out on top shots-wise, leading the period 14-8. But, the game stayed 0-0 heading into the second.

At that point, this tweet came across my screen, kudos Em.

Because this is exactly what happened next.

Seven minutes into the period, Caroline Harvey got the Americans on the board, and Abbey Murphy slipped a weird bounce past Desbiens just 34 seconds later to give Team USA a 2-0 lead.

That didn't dampen the Canadian spirits, as Team Canada stormed back with two goals in under a minute.

Serdachny struck first, and then Gardiner buried a bounce off the boards to tie the game.

The period ended deadlocked at 2, with the Canadians continuing to outshoot the Americans.

Early on in the third period, Laura Stacey and Aerin Frankel collided going after a loose puck, and Frankel was forced to leave the game.

Philips came in in relief for Frankel with just 15 minutes left in the game, staring down a tied score.

The US broke the tie, this time on the ensuing power play from the collision with Frankel. Heise went top shelf of Desbiens, putting the Americans ahead with 14 minutes to go.

It wasn't looking good for a Team Canada comeback with Philips standing tall amidst the pressure.

But with six minutes to go, Sarah Fillier put the puck past Philips on a scramble, tying up the game again.

Neither team could find the go-ahead goal before the end of the period, sending the gold medal game back to overtime for the third time since 2021.

The teams traded overtime chances, the three-on-three format creating great opportunities on both ends. Laura Stacey was foiled on a few different plays, but neither team could sink one past the strong goaltenders.

In the end, it was Tessa Janecke who beat Desbiens to score the game winner with less than three to play in the first overtime. Heise picked up a bad play off the boards by the Canadian defense and fired it on net. Janecke was standing back door and tipped the puck past Desbiens, sealing the game with the golden goal.

Coming in as relief for Frankel, Philips saved 17 of 18 shots and stood tall in overtime, helping her team reclaim the gold medal.

Team Canada forward Marie-Philip Poulin was named the best player of the tournament. She had 4 goals and 8 assists, giving her 12 points throughout the tournament. Poulin also reached 87 points throughout her Women's Worlds tenure, beating Hayley Wickenheiser to become Canada's all-time points scorer. The semi-final game also marked Poulin's 200th game for Team Canada.

This win marks Team USA's 11th gold medal at the World Championships. Canada has 13.

The battle will continue in 2026, this time at the Olympics.