What a Canada!!

In a dramatic finish, Canada's victory sealed the country four successive women's olympic ice hockey titles following triumphs at Salt Lake City 2002, Torino 2006 and Vancouver 2010.

Canadian player Marie-Philip Poulin scored the game winner 8:10 into overtime, her second goal of the evening. after a USA 2-0-lead, Poulin also scored the goal that tied the game with just 55 seconds left and after USA hit a post with net empty. It was a sweet rerun for Poulin. the 22-year-old Quebec City native scored both goals when Canada beat the USA 2-0 in the Olympic final in Vancouver four years ago.

"it was a hard game, we came back, we never quit and we believed in ourselves. we had great strategy and we had the fitness and the composure to pull it off in the end," said canada forward Hayley Wickenheiser. "Poulin just got the puck and put the puck in the net tonight and that's all we needed. thanks to everybody for supporting us - we're so proud to be canadian and we're bringing home gold."

For canadian players Jayna Hefford, Wickenheiser and Caroline Ouellette, the win at Sochi 2014 means the fourth straight olympic gold medal in women's ice hockey.

The first period was scoreless and there was some excellent goaltending from Canada's Shannon Szabados. in four minutes of penalty killing, the Edmonton native saved good shots from Anne Schleper and Hilary Knight

A almost sold-out Bolshoy ice dome were made to wait until 11:57 of the second period for the first goal, which was scored by USA: Meghan Duggan shot past Szabados, who was screened by three players in front of the net, one of them being her Canadian teammate Tara Watchorn. Alex Carpenter scored the 2-0-goal on a power play, with watchorn on the bench for the third time in the game. Carpenter just held her stick on the ice to redirect knight's perfect pass. The USA appeared to be cruising towards victory, but Canada fought back. after 16:34 of the third period, Brianne Jenner took canada closer. Then Poulin entered into the fray with a fast wristshot past Jessie Vetter in the US goal.

In overtime, and in a four-on-three play, Poulin scored the game winner after 8:10.

Game is over! Canada confirms gold medal

For the USA, the loss in the final game means a third Olympic silver medal. the USA won the gold in Nagano 1998, when women's ice hockey was first introduced to the olympic programme, and silver in Salt Lake City 2002 and Vancouver 2010. At Torino 2006, the USA was third.

"i don't know what to say, it's so surreal and a dream come true again," said Poulin. "coach Kevin Dineen was so confident in us - going into overtime, he just told us to be calm and play our game. he totally believed in us."

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