Canada secured a spot in the semifinals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, narrowly defeating the Czech Republic 4-3 in an intense overtime match. The game took place at the Santagiulia Arena on Wednesday afternoon.
Key Game Highlights
- Date: February 18
- Location: Santagiulia Arena, Milano Cortina
- Final Score: Canada 4, Czech Republic 3 (Overtime)
The match commenced at a brisk pace. Canada initially took the lead when rookie Macklin Celebrini scored just 3:05 into the first period. Celebrini’s fifth goal in the tournament also placed him at the top of the scoring leaderboard, sharing the spotlight with Denmark’s Nick Olesen and Germany’s Tim Stützle, both of whom have scored four goals.
Game Progression
The Czech Republic responded impressively. Lukas Sedlak leveled the score at 1-1 at 8:34, and David Pastrnak from the Boston Bruins put the Czechs ahead with a power-play goal at 14:49. Despite trailing, Canada outshot the Czechs 11-10 in the opening period.
Canada pressed for an equalizer during the second period. However, the team faced a significant setback when captain Sidney Crosby left the ice due to an injury. Despite his absence, Canada managed to tie the game at 2-2 with a power-play goal from Nathan MacKinnon at 12:16. By the end of the second period, Canada led in shots 28-15.
Before the start of the third period, it was announced that Crosby would not return to the game. The final frame was filled with opportunities for both teams. Ondrej Palat of the New York Islanders scored for the Czech Republic at 12:18, giving them a brief 3-2 lead. However, Nick Suzuki of the Montreal Canadiens equalized at 16:33, forcing the game into overtime.
Overtime Drama
During the overtime period, played in a 3-on-3 format, Mitch Marner of the Vegas Golden Knights emerged as the hero, scoring the decisive goal just 1:22 into the extra session. This thrilling victory propels Canada into the semifinals, continuing their pursuit of Olympic glory.
Canada’s triumph against the Czech Republic in this Olympic thriller highlights their resilience and determination as they advance to the next stage of the tournament.
