Keller’s Gold: USA Hockey Queen Reigns Supreme

Keller’s Golden Goal Seals USA’s Dominance

In a moment etched forever in American hockey lore, Megan Keller found the back of the net, delivering the golden goal that crowned the U.S. Women’s National Hockey Team Olympic champions. The jubilant scenes that followed were a testament to years of dedication and a fierce rivalry with Canada, a matchup that epitomizes the pinnacle of women’s hockey. Keller, now a leader for the PWHL’s Boston Fleet, joined The Pat McAfee Show to relive the magic and discuss the burgeoning landscape of professional women’s hockey.

A Dream Realized on the Ice

The euphoria of Olympic victory is still sinking in for Keller. “Yeah, we’ve gotten a little bit of a chance to take it all in,” she shared. “We were fortunate enough to have like three days together as a group just to celebrate with teammates, friends, and family. So, still a whirlwind and can’t really believe it, but what an honor it was.” The journey to gold was a testament to the team’s collective strength, with Keller highlighting their incredible tournament performance. “I think one of the best American teams to be put on the ice on the Olympic stage,” she stated, adding that legendary teammate Hillary Knight breaking records in the gold medal game to send them to overtime was simply the stuff of dreams.

“The rivalry is like one of the coolest in sports, US vers, especially on our side. We get to know them very well throughout the year. We play them a ton. We don’t like each other very much. Um, so to have that as a gold medal matchup is it’s what you dream of.”
– Megan Keller on the US vs. Canada rivalry

The “Blackout” Moment and Defensive Prowess

While the game-winning goal might appear as a moment of dazzling offensive skill, Keller, a defenseman, described it as more instinctual. “Honestly, I got to be honest. I’m a defenseman, so I don’t find myself at the far blue too often. And um, yeah, the moment called and Taylor Heisy made an incredible pass up all three zones. And I don’t know, I was just playing hockey at that point. You just go back to when you were a kid and then dreaming of those moments. I didn’t really think about it. Just kind of blacked out in in the moment.” McAfee humorously dubbed it “one of the greatest blackouts in the history of.” The team’s chemistry, forged over years of camps and shared experiences, was crucial. “We have a really tight-knit group,” Keller explained. “Um we’ve been a lot of us have been on this journey since uh four years ago when the Olympic quad starts.”

The Rise of the PWHL and Keller’s Boston Fleet

Beyond the Olympic triumph, Keller is now focused on her professional career with the Boston Fleet in the newly formed PWHL. “All the players that everybody was watching on the Olympic stage, um they all play in the PWHL. It’s the best league for women’s hockey,” she emphasized. The league is currently about halfway through its season, characterized by intense competition and parity. “Three points up for grabs every night. So, you can walk away a three or zero. And so, teams go up and down very quickly. It’s like always competitive. The parody throughout our league is is pretty um competitive. So, any team can win on any given night. Like there’s no easy games. There’s no nights off.” The Boston Fleet currently sits atop the league standings, with Keller acknowledging the upcoming challenge against Ottawa.

Goaltending Brilliance and Future Stars

A significant factor in both the Olympic gold and the Fleet’s success has been goaltender Aerin Frankel. “She’s the best goalie in the world like hands down,” Keller proclaimed. “And she’s she’s done it every single day at practice. She’s done it in the professional league. So for her to do that on the Olympic stage, like it’s it’s no secret to us. But for the world to see that, it was pretty cool.” Frankel’s performance, including crucial saves in the gold medal game, was instrumental. Keller also pointed to other talents to watch in the PWHL, including Swiss star Alena Mueller and rookie defenseman Haley Winn.

The Path Forward for Women’s Hockey

Keller reflected on the evolving path for aspiring female hockey players. “It’s a different day and age now,” she noted, recalling her own journey of playing multiple sports before focusing on hockey after seeing it on the Olympic stage. The recent Olympic success and the growth of the PWHL are creating unprecedented opportunities and visibility for the sport. “I was so excited to get back to Boston,” Keller said, discussing the transition from the Olympics to the PWHL. “Knowing where our team sits at right now. Like we have a pretty special group and um I think just it’s a incredible time in in sports and women’s hockey like to garner that viewership and all the all the juice that the Olympics brought into the PWHL.”

A United Front

Dispelling any notions of animosity, Keller shared the heartwarming camaraderie between the men’s and women’s U.S. hockey teams after their respective gold medal victories. “No, we don’t hate the men’s team,” she clarified. “It was pretty cool. Um after they won, all of us I think sat in the calf till like 4:00 a.m. until our buses were leaving just chopping it up with our medals, hanging out.” This shared experience marked a historic moment, with both teams winning gold in the same Olympics for the first time.

Looking Ahead

With the PWHL season in full swing and the World Championships on the horizon in November, Keller and the Boston Fleet are poised for continued success. The momentum generated by their Olympic gold medal promises to fuel further growth and excitement in women’s hockey.

Source: Gold Medal Winning USA Hockey's Megan Keller Joins The Pat McAfee Show Live (YouTube)