Hilary Knight clinches Olympic ice hockey gold despite a torn MCL, admitting she isn’t at her best.

Hilary Knight disclosed on Monday that she guided the U.S. women’s ice‑hockey squad to Olympic gold last month while coping with a torn medial collateral ligament in one knee.

“I’m not moving as well as I’d like, and I’m missing a few games for the Seattle Torrent of the PWHL,” Knight told CBS Mornings. “Competing with an injury was certainly a mental and physical challenge, but the support staff did everything they could to get me on the ice and perform at my highest level.”

The 36‑year‑old helped tie the final against Canada with just over two minutes left in regulation, and Megan Keller’s overtime goal secured the gold for the United States. After returning from Milan, Knight, teammate Kendall Coyne Schofield and Canada’s Erin Ambrose were placed on long‑term injured reserve by their respective PWHL clubs.

Knight had earlier indicated she does not plan to return to the Olympics. On Monday she said she is “certainly capable” of competing at the 2030 Winter Games, adding, “We are still processing this remarkable story‑book ending for me.”

She noted the encouragement she and her teammates received from fans.

“The outpouring of support when we came back was remarkable. We look forward to sharing that with our communities, continuing our work, and representing our sport with integrity,” she said.

Knight and the U.S. men’s gold‑medal winners Jack and Quinn Hughes are scheduled to appear on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Monday night, 48 hours after their cameo with Keller on Saturday Night Live, where Knight lampooned former President Donald Trump.

The United States’ victory marked Knight’s second Olympic gold, matching her 2018 triumph, and added three silver medals to her record. Jack Hughes echoed Keller’s overtime heroics, scoring the winning goal in the men’s final to give the U.S. its first men’s gold since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” in Lake Placid.