Westchester's Aerin Frankel shines in goal for U.S. in gold medal game win over Canada

There were celebrations across the country on Thursday night after the U.S. women's hockey team captured the gold medal at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, defeating long-time rival Canada in overtime.

The party was especially loud in Westchester County, New York, where Aerin Frankel, the Americans' starting goalie, grew up.

Her former coaches and some of the next generation of hockey players told CBS News New York they're inspired by her accomplishment.

"It's an incredible feeling"

Frankel, who was born and raised in Briarcliff Manor, New York, made 30 saves in the 2-1 victory on Thursday as the U.S. captured gold for the third time and for the first time since 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The 26-year-old was nothing short of spectacular during the Americans' seven-game undefeated run to glory, posting a 5-0 record, with a 0.39 goals-against average and a .980 save percentage. With the U.S.'s 5-0 win in the preliminary round, Frankel became the first goalie to shut out the vaunted Canadians in Olympic play.

"I feel like I'm in a little bit of shock still, but getting to celebrate with this team, you know, this is what we set out for four years ago, so it's an incredible feeling," Frankel told NBC after receiving her medal. "I was just kind of treating it like another game. I believe in my teammates so much, so for me it was just belief the whole way through, knowing we were going to get the job done, trying to do my job and letting them do theirs."

The Americans fell behind in the second period, allowing a short-handed goal. Frankel said it was all about regaining composure as quickly as possible, which they did. Hilary Knight then gave the U.S. a chance, deflecting home the tying goal with a little more than two minutes left in the third period.

Megan Keller then scored the winning goal early in overtime, pulling off some nifty stickhandling before beating Canada goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens. Frankel said the relief that followed was real.

"Being here has been incredible. It has been a dream come true, and, obviously, ending it with a gold medal is amazing," Frankel said.

Who is Aerin Frankel?

Currently a member of the Boston Fleet of the Professional Women's Hockey League, Frankel attended Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, New York, for one year before transferring to Shattuck-Saint Mary's School in Faribault, Minnesota.

Despite being just 5-foot-5, Frankel has become a giant among goalies on the world stage.

She starred for four years at Northeastern University, leading the Terriers to the national championship game in 2020-21 and winning that season's Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, given to the best player in women's college hockey.

Frankel joined the U.S. National Team in 2019 and established herself as the starter in 2023. Since then she has stood tall in net for two world championship-winning teams and another that finished second.

"She worked her butt off"

Before becoming an Olympic champion, Frankel grew up learning the game at the Westchester Skating Academy, home to her youth team, the Westchester Vipers, which she played for from the age of 8 into her early teens.

"Aerin, great job bringing home the gold for the U.S. You represent us so well. Congratulations," club director Dave Mensi said. "She worked her butt off. She improved year after year after year, and she certainly was that diamond in the rough."

Ron Caccavale, the regional director of operations at the Westchester Skating Academy, also coached Frankel, but on all-male teams, adding the boys knew when she was in net, they had a great chance of winning.

"She was feisty. I remember one of the games, somebody got in her crease, got into her face. She came up with the stick to get them away and I knew right then and there no one would mess with her," Caccavale said.

"I hope I grow up just like you"

Frankel's impact on young hockey players cannot be overstated.

"I hope I grow up just like you and bring back home the gold," 10-year-old Kaia Briggs said.

Even boys like 11-year-old Luca Kamanja have seen his coaches use Frankel as an example.

"Even if I'm losing, letting up a lot of goals, [I] just keep going, so I can reach where she's at one day," Kamanja said.

Mensi said he would love to welcome Frankel home to Westchester Skating Academy for what he describes as the biggest party the place has ever seen.