The American women’s hockey gold medalist talks about the coach’s emotional moment when the team won gold at the Olympics

John Wroblewski was overcome with emotion as Team USA women’s hockey star Megan Keller dodged a Canadian defender and scored the game-winning goal to give the Americans a gold medal on Thursday.

The NBC broadcast captured tears streaming down Wroblewski’s face as his team celebrated an incredible moment for the sport and the country at the same time.

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Head coach John Wroblewski and Megan Keller celebrate the victory over Canada at the Winter Olympics at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Stadium on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (EyesWideOpen/Getty Images)

American Taylor Heise, who assisted on Keller’s goal, told News Digital in a recent interview that it was a coming full circle moment for her coach.

“I saw the video yesterday (Friday) and it represents it pretty well,” he said. “He’s an emotional guy, but he coached a lot of men’s teams and this is his first women’s job and we’ve embraced him graciously these last four years and I think he’s done wonders for this group and it’s definitely an honor for me because the last Olympics I got cut. He’s the first coach to give me that opportunity back. He knows I’m very grateful for that. I tell him that every day.

AMERICAN WOMEN’S HOCKEY GOLD MEDALIST TAYLOR HEISE OPENS UP ON WHAT IT MEANS TO PLAY FOR TEAM USA.

Coach John Wroblewski and Laila Edwards celebrate after beating Canada at the Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

“We didn’t really get to talk to him afterwards. We had a lot of media and everything, but we’re grateful for him. He’s a guy who deserves the world because he believed in all of us and he gave all these young girls a chance to come forward and I think he picked the right 23 girls to be here.”

Wroblewski played in the ECHL and American Hockey League (AHL) and trained for the Team USA Development Program and the AHL’s Ontario Reign before taking over the women’s Olympic team in 2022.

Heise, who will continue to play in the Professional Women’s Hockey League for the Minnesota Frost, is now something only a few can become: a gold medalist.

Grace Zumwinkle, left, and Taylor Heise celebrate after victory at the Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

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“It’s incredible,” he said. “It’s definitely one of my goals that I’ve had for a long time and now that it’s come true, it was definitely one of the last things on my list that I wanted to check off. It’s just an incredible experience and the team that I got to do it with is extremely special and one of the most talented teams I’ve ever seen.”

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