OLYMPICS: Ice hockey-Poulin urges team to take pride despite silver

MILAN – Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin left Milan with a knee injury but her pride intact after a hard-fought 2-1 overtime loss to the United States in the Olympic women’s ice hockey final.

Canada led 1-0 with just over two minutes left in regulation, only for Hilary Knight to tie it for the Americans. Megan Keller’s overtime goal sealed the silver for the defending champions.

“We came out, we wanted to play, we wanted to make it difficult for them, and we did,” Poulin said. “Honestly, we knew it was going to be a battle, it was going to be up and down, and it was. Overtime against the U.S.? I don’t think it’s a surprise for anybody.”

The 34-year-old “Captain Clutch” has been at the heart of Canada’s greatest Olympic moments since 2010, when she scored her first of three goals at age 18 on home soil. In Milan, she added to her legacy by breaking the all-time Olympic goal-scoring record during the semi-final.

When asked if her fifth Olympics would be her last, Poulin did not give a definitive answer but instead praised her teammates. “Just letting them know that that loss does not define them, that I’m proud of them, that they showed up,” she said. “They can keep their heads high because it’s truly an honor to be alongside them.”

Poulin’s leadership and resilience remain a symbol of Canadian hockey excellence, even as the team adjusts to life without a gold medal this year. -Reporting by Amy Tennery, Giulio Piovaccari and Janina Nuno Rios in MilanEditing by Christian Radnedge/Reuters