MA Hockey Players Now Olympic Gold Medalists

GANGNEUNG, SK — Three Massachusetts players helped the United States win its first medal in women's hockey since 1998, defeating Canada, 3-2, in a shootout final.

Burlington's Kali Flanagan, Danvers' Meghan Duggan, and Westfield's Kacey Bellamy are now gold medalists. Also on the team are Boston College alumnae Emily Pfalzer and Haley Skarupa and current Eagles Cayla Barnes, Flanagan, and Megan Keller.

The win breaks a gold medal game losing streak which saw them drop the final to Canada at three of the last four Olympics.

Some of the members of the United States women's hockey team - like Flanagan - have no memory of the last time the team topped the medal platform. Some - like Duggan and Bellamy - were just sick of the Olympic heartbreak.

The tense back-and-forth final needed a shootout to decide the goal medal after a 2-2 draw through regulation and a 4-on-4 overtime period. Going into the sixth shootout frame tied 2-2, Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson faked out Canadian goalie Shannon Szabados with a highlight-reel deke for the go-ahead score.

American netminder Maddie Rooney denied Meghan Agosta a chance to extend the game, ending the shootout and Canada's reign as the Olympic champions of women's hockey.

The U.S. last won the gold medal at the 1998 games in Nagano.

Image Credit: Harry How/Getty Images