United States captain Hilary Knight admitted her nerves were higher about a marriage proposal than the Olympic women's ice hockey gold medal game. Knight, participating in her final Games alongside partner U.S. speedskater Brittany Bowe, led the Americans to a 2-1 overtime victory against rivals Canada.
The captain's crucial equalizer came with just over two minutes remaining in regulation. Knight revealed she had been planning the proposal since the Games began. "I was kind of carrying that for the whole tournament, I was like, 'I just need to get this over with,'" Knight stated after the match.
Knight and Bowe met during the Beijing 2022 Games, influencing Knight's decision to propose in Milan. "Doing it before the gold medal game it just seemed fitting for us," she said. The victory caps off her Olympic career, and she plans to support Bowe in her final speed skating event.