aerial view of Megan Keller's game winning goal
Megan Keller's winning goal against Canada in the women's hockey Olympic final. (Photo: Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images)

Q&A: Katie King Crowley

The Olympian and Ïăœ¶Đă women's hockey coach talks about Megan Keller and the golden goal

The world was watching on February 20 as 2019 Boston College alumna Megan Keller scored the game-winning goal in overtime that gave the United States Olympic women’s hockey team a hard-fought overtime win over Canada, earning the U.S. a gold medal.

Keller took a long pass from teammate Taylor Heise, out-maneuvered Canadian defender Claire Thompson—nudging the puck to Thompson’s right, then quickly skating around Thompson’s left to retrieve it—and poked the winning shot past goaltender Ann-RenĂ©e Desbiens.

(Three days later, the U.S. men’s hockey team, including former Ïăœ¶Đă players Matt Boldy and Noah Hanifin, with its own 2-1 win over Canada.)

For Katie King Crowley, the Jane Rattigan Head Women’s Hockey Coach at Ïăœ¶Đă, it was a very familiar sight, one that she’d seen often during the four years Keller was under her tutelage at the Heights.

“Megan is a tremendous hockey player,” said Crowley. “When I watch that play, she reads that Canada is changing [making a player substitution] and goes to the far blue line to make it challenging for them to defend. And then she uses her long reach and great hands to come around the Canadian player and put it by the goalie on the backhand. Her patience and poise are elite: You can see it in that play, she never panics, she controls the puck and controls the play.”

Keller was a mainstay on an Eagles squad that made it to the NCAA Tournament in her first three years at Ïăœ¶Đă, reaching the championship round in her second year. After taking time off to play for U.S. women’s hockey in the 2018 Winter Olympics—and collecting her first gold medal—she returned to Ïăœ¶Đă as a senior in 2018-2019 as the Eagles once again went to the NCAA Tournament. She finished as Ïăœ¶Đă’s all-time leader in defenseman scoring with 158 career points on 45 goals and 113 assists and, among numerous other honors, was a three-time finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award as the nation’s best player in women’s college hockey.

Keller—who now plays for the Boston Fleet in the Women’s Professional Hockey League—had all the tools when she first suited up for the Eagles, recalled Crowley.

“Her size, skating, and hockey IQ were very strong. We just tried to help her develop all of those things so she could play at the next level.  When you want to play at that level, you will have to do things quicker, process quicker, move pucks quicker, and she has adapted extremely well to that. She is fun to watch.”

Like Keller, Crowley is a three-time Olympian, and over the years she’s had the pleasure of seeing a number of her former players suit up for the Winter Olympics: Besides Keller, this year’s U.S. squad included Cayla Barnes ’23, Hannah Bilka ’23, and Alex Carpenter ’16.

According to Crowley, there are not a lot of insights for her to share with Ïăœ¶Đă Olympians like Keller.

“At this point, Megan and the others are pros at it.  They are calm, cool, and collected when it comes to pressure situations.  Besides saying ‘Good luck,’ I usually just encourage them to enjoy all of the moments when you’re there, because it’s an extra special time in your lives.”

Those special times stay with you, too, she adds.

“Watching the Olympics brings back so many great memories,” said Crowley. “My teammates from 1998 are in a group chat and continue to talk during the Games and bring back lots of memories. Watching the opening and closing ceremonies, just seeing the photos of the players enjoying time with their teammates is extra special and brings back memories of spending time with teammates who have helped shape my life.”

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