Minnesota's Olympic gold drought ends with thrilling women's hockey win
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The Minnesotan-powered U.S. women's hockey team toppled Canada in overtime to win Olympic gold Thursday.
Why it matters: The dramatic 2-1 victory is golden redemption for a team of stars — eight of whom have Minnesota ties — that came up short four years ago.
- The all-North American final — which ended on a sick dangle by Megan Keller — doubled as made-to-order marketing material for the fledgling Professional Women's Hockey League.
The big picture: Minnesota sent a large contingent to the Milan Cortina Winter Games.
- But before Thursday, none of the state's hometown athletes had won gold, with just days of competition remaining.
State of the podium: Athletes with ties to the state have taken home at least three other medals so far this year, per the Star Tribune.
🎿 Cross-country skier Jessie Diggins, an Afton native, won bronze in the women's 10k skate.
🥌 Duluth's Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin made history with a silver in the mixed doubles curling competition.
⛷️ Alpine skier Paula Moltzan of Prior Lake took home a bronze in a newly formed team event.
Between the lines: The Winter Games have delivered some disappointing moments for athletes with Minnesota roots.
- Lindsey Vonn, who was born in St. Paul, had to be airlifted off the mountain with a severe leg injury following a terrifying crash.
- The Chaska-based U.S. men's curling team, led by Danny Casper, was knocked out of contention early Thursday.
And Diggins, who entered the Games as a favorite for a gold, saw her podium prospects dim after bruising her rib in a fall during an early race.
- She and fellow American Julia Kerns came in fifth in Wednesday's sprint free, missing the podium by six seconds.
The silver —or should we say gold? — lining: Minnesotans have a few more shots to bring home more hardware.
- The men's USA hockey team, which also includes several Minnesotans, will play Slovakia in Friday's semifinals, which airs at 2:10pm Central.
If they win, they'll secure a spot in Sunday's closing gold medal game.
The intrigue: A Slovakian with a Minnesota connection may stand between the Team USA men and the gold medal game: goalie Samuel Hlavaj, who plays in the Wild's minor league system and is now leading his national team's Cinderella run.
What else we're watching: The U.S. women's curling team, based out of a St. Paul rink, advanced to the semifinals after clinching a win over Switzerland thanks to a "clutch" shot by Burnsville's Tabitha Peterson.
- Diggins will compete in her final event — the women's 50km mass start classic — in the wee hours of Sunday morning.