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Team Canada and Team Czechia engaged in a thrilling math at their medal round quarterfinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics. In a seesaw affair, Canada led 1-0, trailed by scores of 2-1 and 3-2. Finally, the Canadians rallied for a victory to advance to the semis.
1st period
Macklin Celebrini struck for a goal just 3:05 after the game’s opening faceoff. Connor McDavid had the lone assist. It felt like Canada was on its way to a repeat of their opening game of the tournament, However, things changed at 8:34.
Radko Gudas picked off a neutral zone turnover and carried the puck into the attack zone. Gudas passed to Roman Cervenka, who sent the puck at the net. Former NHL player Lukas Sedlak deflected the puck into the net.
The Czechs took a 2-1 lead at 14:49. David Pastnak ripped a left-circle one-timer past Jordan Binnington for a power play goal. The assists went to Filip Hronek and Cervenka.
Shots on goal were 11-10 in Canada’s favor.
2nd period
Early in the second period, Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby limped down the tunnel. Nevertheless, Canada stepped up the pressure. Lukas Dostal robbed Travis Sanheim from point blank range to temporarily maintain the lead.
The Czechs paid for a Michal Kempny interference penalty in the offensive zone. At 12:16, Nathan MacKinnon forged a 2-2 tie. Taking a pass from McDavid in the left circle, MacKinnon moved to his right and scored from near the hash marks. Celebrini had the secondary assist.
At the other end of the ice, David Kampf hit the inside of the post. The puck stayed out. Subsequently, Canada’s Nick Suzuki drew iron.
With 1:12 left in the period, Gudas was called for roughing on his finish of a side-boards hit on Brandon Hagel.Canada took a carryover power play into the third period.
Shots on goal were 16-5 in Canada’s favor. Team Canada more or less owned the latter 10 minutes of the period.
3rd period
Crosby (lower body injury) did not return for the third period. The Czechs killed off the rest of the penalty.
At 2:28, Hagel was clipped by a high stick but it was ruled a follow-through on a clearing play. No penalty resulted.
Canada dominated early puck possession. However, Ondrej Palat had a scoring chance blocked after a dangerous turnover by Canada high in the defensive zone. Subsequently, the Czechs made a push as the period neared the midway point.
At 19:52, McDavid spun off a check behind the net and nearly jammed the puck home as he stepped out on the short side.
At 12:18, the Czechs retook the lead on a transition rush off a blocked shot. Ondrej Palat scored at the offensive end. The assists went to Martin Necas and Tomas Hertl.
Canada forged a 3-3 deadlock at 16:33. Nick Suzuki deflected home a Devon Toews point shot. The second assist went to Seth Jarvis.
With 1:10 left in regulation, Binnington stoned Necas on a breakaway backhander. Canada heaved a collective sigh of relief.
Overtime
In the 3-on-3, Sedlak won the opening faceoff. However, the Candians soon gained possession. The two sides traded off a scoing chance apiece.
Finally at 1:22, Mitch Marner ended the game. He took a neutral zone backhand pass from Celebrini. Winding his way into the attack zone, against the grain, Marner scored on the backhand.
