Coming in as heavy underdogs against an undefeated and powerful United States side, the Canadian Women’s hockey team saved their best game of the tournament for last. After falling 5-0 to the USA in the preliminary round — it’s worth mentioning Canada was without captain Marie-Philip Poulin for that game — Canada had their best game of the tournament, but ultimately fell to the USA in overtime.

Canada came out flying early in the game, which seemed to catch the American side by surprise. Canada clogged the middle of the ice well in the first frame, keeping the majority of shots to the outside and clearing traffic in front of goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens. Canada failed to convert on two power play attempts in the first period, and took their first penalty of the game in the dying moments of the opening frame.

That break-up of the US power play proved to be beneficial for Canada, as Kristin O’Neill broke in on a shorthanded breakaway in the first minute of the second period and opened the scoring.

Ann-Renée Desbiens was sensational in this game, in particular in the second period when she made more than a few five-alarm saves. Perhaps none were better than this one:

The game opened up big time in the second frame, and while the US controlled the puck for most of the game, the Canadian women were routinely catching their opponents off guard with the speed of their counterattack. For the US, most of their shots came from the outside, and when they did get close to the net, Desbiens either made the stop, or the Americans failed to hit the net. Through 40 minutes, it was clear that every single player on the Canadian side came ready to play, and quite honestly, that each player was having their best game of the tournament. What a good time for it.

In the third, Canada was on lockdown mode, and as they had through 40 minutes, they did an exceptional job of keeping the Americans’ shots to the outside. That being said, they were playing some very taxing minutes for most of the third, as they spent most of the period defending in their own zone.

Britta Curl-Salemme stapled Erin Ambrose into the end boards and was originally assessed a five-minute major. After review, it was reduced to a two minute minor for boarding, with six minutes left in the game. The Canadian power play came close on a couple of their chances, the best of which came when Marie-Philip Poulin was set up in the bumper spot but whistled her one-timer attempt above the crossbar.

With just over two minutes remaining and their goaltender pulled for an extra attacker, the US finally got on the board when Hillary Knight deflected a point shot past Desbiens to tie things up at one. This game needed overtime.

Four minutes into OT, veteran defender Megan Keller moved in on Canada and Vancouver Goldeneyes defender Claire Thompson before making a move to her backhand and getting an attempt to squeak through just under the blocker and over the pad of Ann-Renée Desbiens.

Gold for USA. Silver for Canada. What a Gold Medal Game it was.