Hilary Knight won Olympic ice hockey gold with torn MCL: ‘I’m not walking around the best’ | USA ice hockey team
Hilary Knight revealed Monday that she led the U.S. women’s ice hockey team to gold at last month’s Olympics while suffering a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) in one of her knees.
“I’m not among the best and I’m missing a few matches for the [PWHL’s] Seattle Torrent,” Knight said on CBS Mornings. “Being able to play through an injury was definitely kind of a gymnastic challenge for me and also a physical one, but we have an incredible support staff that did their best to get me out there and do my best – the best I could.”
The 36-year-old tied the final against Canada with just over two minutes remaining before Megan Keller’s goal gave the United States gold in overtime. Knight, teammate Kendall Coyne Schofield and Canadian Erin Ambrose were all placed on the long-term injured list by their respective PWHL teams upon their return from Milan.
Knight previously said she had no plans to compete in the Olympics again. She said Monday that she was “definitely capable” of competing in the 2030 Winter Games, but added: “I think it’s…we’re just processing this incredible history book, so to speak, ending for myself.” »
She added that she was encouraged by the support she and her teammates received from fans.
“To double down and have people support us, you know, coming back from this trip, it was amazing. So we’re excited to share that with our respective communities and continue to do our jobs and be great representatives and be great humans,” she said.
Knight and U.S. men’s gold medal players Jack and Quinn Hughes are scheduled to appear Monday night on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Their appearance comes 48 hours after their appearance alongside Keller on Saturday Night Live, in which Knight mocked Donald Trump.
The U.S. gold medal was Knight’s second at the Olympics, repeating the one she won with the United States in 2018. She also has three Olympic silver medals.
Jack Hughes repeated Keller’s feat by scoring in overtime in the men’s final to clinch gold against Canada. The men’s gold medal was the first won by the country since the 1980 Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid.
Knight is not the only American star to compete with torn knee ligaments in this year’s Olympics. Skier Lindsey Vonn tore her anterior cruciate ligament a week before the women’s downhill, but fell early in her Olympic race.
