Anchorage Hockey Community Celebrates U.S. Women's Olympic Gold

Local players and fans inspired by dramatic overtime win in Milan-Cortina

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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The victory of the U.S. Women's hockey team at the Thursday Olympic games in Milan-Cortina, Italy, is resonating far beyond the medal stand, inspiring players and fans in Anchorage, Alaska. The president of the Anchorage Women's Hockey League expressed excitement over the dramatic overtime win, emphasizing the broader significance of the achievement for younger women and girls in Alaska and across the country.

Why it matters

The Olympic success is expected to have a particularly powerful effect on younger women and girls in Alaska and across the country, helping to grow momentum for women's hockey at both the professional and youth levels.

The details

Hilary Knight, a star player for Team USA and a native of Sun Valley, recently scored a 'hat trick' in the Women's Hockey World Championship, further highlighting the rising talent in the sport. Anchorage is also seeing increased participation at the professional level, with Clair DeGeorge, an Anchorage native, currently playing in the new Professional Women's Hockey League.

  • The U.S. Women's hockey team won the gold medal on Thursday, February 20, 2026 in the Olympic games in Milan-Cortina, Italy.
  • On February 6, 2026, Hilary Knight's performance helped the U.S. defeat Canada in the Women's Hockey World Championship.

The players

Anchorage Women's Hockey League

The president of the Anchorage Women's Hockey League expressed excitement over the dramatic overtime win and emphasized the broader significance of the achievement.

Hilary Knight

A star player for Team USA and a native of Sun Valley, recently scored a 'hat trick' in the Women's Hockey World Championship, further highlighting the rising talent in the sport.

Clair DeGeorge

An Anchorage native, is currently playing in the new Professional Women's Hockey League, demonstrating opportunities for Alaskan athletes to pursue their dreams.

John O'Donnell

The head coach of The Storm, a Capital Region-based varsity team, actively encourages his players to watch Olympic hockey to help them refine their skills and gain a deeper understanding of the game.

Jake George and Preston King

Players from Shenendehowa, shared their inspiration from watching Team USA compete in the Olympics.

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What they’re saying

“It's a reminder of what's possible.”

— Anchorage Women's Hockey League President (Alaska's News Source)

“When you've been playing hockey for all your life and you're able to see your country compete at such a high level in a sport that you love, it's very inspiring.”

— Jake George, Player, Shenendehowa (newsdirectory3.com)

“When you watch the U.S. Team, you learn from them because they're the best. You grab a lot from what they're doing and try to replicate it in your own game.”

— Preston King, Player, Shenendehowa (newsdirectory3.com)

“We actually encourage them to watch the games. Just the stuff you see them do in the game — it correlates back to what we do at the youth level. Just the skating and seeing them move the puck side to side, it's fun to watch.”

— John O'Donnell, Head Coach, The Storm (newsdirectory3.com)

What’s next

The excitement surrounding the Olympics was palpable even during local games, with spectators at a recent Section 2 playoff game between CBA and The Storm seen checking updates from the USA-Sweden Olympic match on their phones.

The takeaway

The U.S. Women's hockey team's gold medal win is not just a sporting achievement; it's a cultural moment that is sparking enthusiasm and ambition within the Alaskan hockey community, and beyond, inspiring younger players to pursue their dreams in the sport.