Women’s Worlds: Hilary Knight hat trick powers Team USA to gold over Canada

Mike Gould
Mike Gould
Women’s Worlds: Hilary Knight hat trick powers Team USA to gold over Canada
Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Team Canada led Team USA by a 3–2 score after two periods in Sunday’s gold-medal game at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship.

Then, Hilary Knight happened.

Playing in her first international tournament as “Captain America”, Knight scored her second and third goals of the championship game in the third period against Canada to power her team to a massive 6–3 win.

Knight’s second goal, which came with just 3:10 left in regulation, stood as the game-winner. It was also her 100th career point in Women’s Worlds competition.

The 33-year-old forward added her third goal (and 101st Women’s Worlds point) just 27 seconds later to give the Americans an insurmountable 5–3 lead. And it only took 45 more seconds after Knight’s insurance marker for Cayla Barnes to seal the deal with an empty-net tally.

Team USA never led in Sunday’s game before the final minutes of the third period. In typical fashion, Team Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin opened the scoring at the 6:23 mark of the opening frame. Abbey Murphy responded for the Americans to tie the game heading into the first intermission, but Brianne Jenner restored the one-goal lead 5:03 into the second period.

Knight scored her first goal of the game (and her sixth of the tournament) to bring Team USA back even midway through the middle period, but Jenner struck again 69 seconds later to make it 3–2 Canada. All in all, the hosts led for 23:06 on Sunday compared to just 3:10 for the Americans.

Up-and-coming American star Caroline Harvey, who was named the tournament’s top defender, scored one of the biggest goals of her young career early in the third period to restore the tie once more. Harvey’s marker kicked off a momentous run for Team USA which saw them score four goals on eight shots over the final 20 minutes of regulation.

With their dramatic come-from-behind win over the Canadians, Team USA captured gold for the first time since 2019 and spoiled their opponents’ bid for a third consecutive title.

Team USA has now won gold at the Women’s Worlds 10 times, compared to 12 for Team Canada. Next year’s tournament will be on American soil, with the IIHF recently announcing that Utica, N.Y. will host the Women’s Worlds in 2024.

Will Team USA be able to successfully defend its title on its own turf? We’re already looking forward to it.

Sunday’s results

5th place: Team Finland 3, Team Sweden 1

Bronze: Team Czechia 3, Team Switzerland 2

Gold: Team Canada 3, Team USA 6

All games at CAA Centre in Brampton, Ont.

Final standings

Gold: Team USA
Silver: Team Canada
Bronze: Team Czechia
4th: Team Switzerland
5th: Team Finland
6th: Team Sweden
7th: Team Japan
8th: Team Germany
9th: Team Hungary
10th: Team France

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