U.S. Hockey Star Hilary Knight Calls Men's Call With Donald Trump A 'Quick Lapse'
Hilary Knight, U.S. Hockey Star Men's Phone Call W/ Trump 'Quick Lapse' ... 'A Good Learning Point'
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U.S hockey star Hilary Knight isn't letting all the controversy overshadow her relationship with her male counterparts -- describing the moment as simply "a quick lapse."
Knight spoke about the now-infamous phone call between the men's team and President Trump, not long after Jack Hughes scored the winning goal against Canada ... where POTUS joked he'd "probably be impeached" if he didn't invite the women's team to the White House following their gold medal win.
USA women's hockey gold medalist @HilaryKnight describes her team's relationship with the USA men's team as one with a "genuine level of support and respect" that's being overshadowed by a "quick lapse."
"Our achievements shouldn't be overshadowed by anything else other than how… pic.twitter.com/0oDaQwQi9B @SportsCenter
Folks online were big mad after the team laughed following DT's comment, but Knight says the group was put in "a tough spot."
"It's a shame that this storyline and narrative is kind of blown up and overshadowing that connection and genuine interest in one another and cheering one another on."
Knight said the two teams formed real relationships inside the Olympic Village during their time in Milan, and talked about the two sides supporting their endeavors on both the world and professional stages ... adding she looks forward to keeping in touch.
"This is just a really good learning point to really focus on how we talk about women, not only as a sport but as an industry, women aren't less than," Knight said. "Our achievements shouldn't be overshadowed by anything else, other than how great they are."
Two-time gold medalist Kelly Pannek on the men’s locker room comments. pic.twitter.com/5WCIBoeL7J @jessi_pierce
Another member of the women's team, Kelly Pannek, was also asked about the viral video ... and while she wasn't surprised by the contents of the call, she too only had nice things to say about her time with the men's squad.
"Our experiences with the men's team was different," Pannek said. "We all know being there what it felt like to have their support throughout the tournament, to support them, and how great a moment it was for everyone that was a fan of both teams to come together and say how great it was that we both won a gold medal."
