The U.S. women's hockey team won gold for the first time since 1998 on Thursday in Pyeongchang, with a 3-2 shootout victory over Canada that prevented their archrivals from winning a fifth straight gold medal.
The game not only met the high standards of the biggest feud in women's hockey history, but surpassed them. It was a fast, thrilling, tense and often brutal contest, whose dramatic conclusion cemented it as an instant classic.
Here are the top moments from the gold-medal game between Team USA and Team Canada, full of incredible skill, star-making performances and a little bit of controversy.
Jocelyne Lamoureax-Davidson's shootout goal
It's called the "Oops ... I Did It Again." That's what one of Lamoureux-Davidson's coaches labeled the shootout move she unleashed on an unsuspecting Shannon Szabados to score the definitive goal of the gold-medal game. It was a masterful deke, using her shoulders and hands to send the all-world goalie staggering and scrambling as she tucked the puck home.
Can we talk about Lamoureux's FILTHY game winning goal? #USAvsCAN pic.twitter.com/sd31IKiZsA
- AUDIENCE Sports (@AudienceSports) February 22, 2018
"She did 'Oops' against Russia, and did 'Did It Again' against Szabados there," her sister Monique Lamoureux-Morando said on the NBC telecast.
She played with Canada's heart. They got lost in the game. Oh baby, baby.
Maddie Rooney's overtime save
The 20-year-old goaltender from Andover, Minnesota, was ultimately the difference for Team USA in its golden victory, She made 29 saves through regulation and overtime, and then followed with four more in the shootout to clinch it. That included an incredible diving stick save to rob Brianne Jenner, and this save on an overtime penalty kill:
This save by Maddie Rooney is everything pic.twitter.com/XbyQWU6X8q
- stephen (@dolewhipz) February 22, 2018
You know you've made a great save when your opponent starts prematurely celebrating.
Monique Lamoureux-Morando's tying goal
While her sister's shootout goal will go down as the definitive offensive moment for the Americans in winning gold, it was Lamoureux-Morando's goal on a breakaway at 13:39 of the third period that was just as critical, tying the score at 2-2.
Tying goal for #USA #PeyongChang2018 pic.twitter.com/9UPUSLIPf1
- Erik Kuhre �� (@Puckguy14) February 22, 2018
The tally came on a rare miscue from Canada, which had a terrible line change to allow the Americans to spring Lamoureux-Morando on a break. "I was actually going high glove. It actually went under her glove. It doesn't matter if it goes in," she said.
Melodie Daoust does the Forsberg
While her goal was soon trumped by Lamoureux-Davidson's shootout brilliance, for a moment it looked as if the Canadian forward was going help her team win gold on a nasty shootout move:
melodie daoust are you kidding me pic.twitter.com/CvGhznpYJ1
- Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) February 22, 2018
The move Daoust used is commonly referred to as "The Forsberg," in honor of Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg, who used the move to win gold for Sweden in 1994. They put him on a postage stamp. Who knows what Canada would have done for Daoust had Amanda Kessel not equaled her on the next U.S. attempt.
The Poulin controversy
There isn't another athlete in sports who can claim to own an opponent like Canadian forward Marie-Philip Poulin owns the United States. Her second-period goal that gave Canada a 2-1 lead was her fifth goal in three Olympic gold-medal games against the U.S. But along with being an elite offensive talent, the 26-year-old forward also plays with an edge, as was seen here on this controversial hit against American forward Brianna Decker.
Checking is illegal but apparently this is cool pic.twitter.com/EsUFgVbzSd
- Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) February 22, 2018
The shot to the head cut Decker's nose. No penalty was called on the play, making this perhaps the most glaring example of substandard officiating in a game that had its share of it for both teams.
The 'Golden Save'
Lamoureux-Davidson's shootout goal wouldn't have mattered if Rooney was unable to stop Canadian star Meghan Agosta's next attempt, having already given up a shootout goal to her in the first round. But Rooney denied her, giving the gold to the U.S.
Maddie Rooney's 'Golden Save' pic.twitter.com/HhDqJbJHVx
- One Fans View (@OneFanView) February 22, 2018
"I just took each player one at a time," Rooney said after the game. "When it came down to one shooter to win it, I just said, 'It's one more, and then gold medal.'"