February 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\nCanada struggled to generate much in the ensuing minutes. Enter Nick Suzuki. With Crosby sidelined, the Montreal Canadiens captain shifted back to his natural centre position on a line with Marner and Mark Stone. <\/p>\n
\u201cNick got better as the game went on,\u201d Cooper said. \u201cHe had to play a big role when Sid went out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Suzuki missed a golden opportunity in the second period when he had an open net to shoot at and hit the post. He was also on the ice when Palat scored the go-ahead goal in the third period. <\/p>\n
Suzuki seemed determined to change his luck during a shift late in the third. Stone and Marner went to the bench for a change, but Suzuki dumped a puck into the Czech zone and won a battle with Filip Hronek to retain possession. He then fed Devon Toews at the point and deflected home the ensuing shot from the defenceman. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt felt amazing,\u201d Suzuki said. \u201cI missed the one empty netter backdoor in the second there and I kind of wanted my backcheck back there on their third goal. I knew I needed to make the most of my next opportunity. I was just trying to do the right thing and get to the net and get my stick on it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was an elite play,\u201d said winger Brad Marchand. \u201cI don\u2019t know where he was at in his shift, but the fact he got that in by himself, created the forecheck and won a battle, allowing those guys to get in \u2014 it\u2019s not just the tip, it\u2019s the entire play.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cOur country needed a goal,\u201d Cooper said. \u201cNick Suzuki answers.\u201d <\/p>\n
‘It felt amazing’: Suzuki happy to redeem himself after missing open net Nick Suzuki discusses his excitement to score the tying goal late in the third period and why it was a relief after he missed a wide open net in the second period. <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Czechia had a glorious chance to regain the lead with just over one minute remaining in regulation, but Jordan Binnington stopped Martin Necas on a breakaway. The St. Louis Blues goalie denied the initial chance as well as a rebound. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe was great again in the big moments,\u201d McDavid said. \u201cThat\u2019s what he does.\u201d<\/p>\n
Binnington also denied defenceman Radim Simek on a point-blank chance early in overtime. <\/p>\n
Just like in overtime of the 4 Nations Face-Off final last year, Binnington saved his best for last. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we really needed him, he was there,\u201d Marner said. \u201cThat\u2019s something you can always trust in Binner.\u201d <\/p>\n
Milano Cortina 2026: Men’s Hockey – Canada 4, Czechia 3 (OT) Team Canada got a scare from Czechia but Mitch Marner scored in overtime to send the Canadians through to the semifinal in a thrilling contest at The Winter Olympic Games. The Canadians fought back from a goal down twice to seal the comeback. <\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
On the second shift of overtime, 19-year-old phenom Macklin Celebrini dropped a pass to Marner, who skated through the neutral zone with speed. He dodged Simek and former Leafs teammates David Kampf and Ondrej Kase before sending a backhand shot over the shoulder of goalie Lukas Dostal.<\/p>\n
\u201cMac gave it back to me and, honestly, I was trying to see if I could kick it out to him on the blue line there because I saw he kind of had time,\u201d Marner said. \u201cI was looking to make a play to him and saw two guys cheat over to it. So, I just tried to jump into the hole and lucky enough I was able to. And then, from that moment on, tried to put it to a spot that I could get it back, and then made a quick move and got it on and off my stick on the backhand to the far side.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, I didn\u2019t expect him to go all the way through the middle like that,\u201d Dostal said. \u201cI believed he was reaching for the puck so I didn\u2019t think he had a [hold] of it. The puck stood up on him so that\u2019s why he was able to lift the puck. I thought he was reaching for the puck.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marner also scored a 3-on-3 overtime winner against Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off on a similar play. He experienced a similar feeling of \u201cshock and excitement\u201d on Wednesday, but this goal was much bigger for a couple reasons. Canada, of course, needed it to stay alive at the Olympics, but there was also the family factor. <\/p>\n
\u201cNow it\u2019s even more special,\u201d Marner said. \u201cI have my son here with me. He\u2019s pretty young [born last May]. He probably won\u2019t remember. He\u2019s probably sleeping on mom, but it will be something cool to look back at one day with him and show him where he was and what he was doing in this moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marner\u2019s mom cradled little Miles as Marner and Team Canada celebrated on the ice on Wednesday night. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere were so many little moments in that game that resulted in that one moment,\u201d Marner said. \u201cMassive saves by Binner. Massive goal by Suzuki and then Binnington again with a massive save on Necas there at the end of the third. Happy to [play] a part in that game. <\/p>\n
‘That was a hell of a hockey game’: OT hero Marner details QF win Overtime hero Mitch Marner describes the play to end things against Czechia, and shares how Canada pulled together when Sidney Crosby went down to injury. Marner also said that their captain spoke to the team between periods to give the guys confidence. <\/p>\n
— <\/p>\n
Wednesday\u2019s game was much closer than the preliminary round opener when Canada shutout Czechia 5-0. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou could tell today there were some moments they could shoot and they did the extra move and it just happens,\u201d Dostal said. \u201cWe experienced it yesterday when we played Denmark. When you have to win you kind of, I don\u2019t want to say become a little shaky, but you have it in your head so you do that extra move. That\u2019s what I felt like Canada sometimes did today, but we couldn\u2019t finish.\u201d<\/p>\n
Canada did not trail in the preliminary round while racking up wins of 5-0, 5-1 and 10-2 over Czechia, Switzerland and France. So, Wednesday represented the team\u2019s first true taste of adversity in Milan. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew there was going to be moments like this throughout the tournament,\u201d said McDavid. \u201cIt\u2019s what it\u2019s all about. It\u2019s what best-on-best provides and we knew it was coming. I like how we responded.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of guts there,\u201d said defenceman Cale Makar, who played a team high 26 minutes and 41 seconds. \u201cI mean, Marns to be able to split the D and go in there. And then, before overtime, I feel like, for us, it was just sticking with it. We knew we would get some chances at some point and we just had to capitalize and guys were starting to get to the net.\u201d <\/p>\n
What did it feel like when Marner finally stopped the clock? <\/p>\n
\u201cMassive relief and extreme excitement,\u201d Marchand said. \u201cWe came here with a goal in mind and. in these tournaments where it can end on a bounce, it\u2019s stressful. But it\u2019s exciting.\u201d <\/p>\n
‘A lot of guts there’: Makar explains what helped propel Canada to nervy win over Czechia After Canada’s thrilling win over Czechia in the quarter-finals, Cale Makar spoke about Team Canada trying to find their way through the game against a difficult opponent. <\/p>\n
Canada will now take on Finland in Friday\u2019s semifinal. They are expecting more drama in the medal round. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the Olympic Games,\u201d said Cooper. \u201cThis is the best of the best. This is why all the players want to come to this, because they want to show who they are, and they want to flex. And if you think you\u2019re rolling through this tournament, you\u2019re sorely mistaken. Yes, we like the fact that we won the first three games and didn\u2019t have to play the qualification game. Hell yeah, but that doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re gonna keep on winning. It doesn\u2019t mean because you got the Maple Leaf on your jersey that, \u2018Hey, oh my gosh, you\u2019re gonna be first.\u2019 You\u2019ve got to work to that. And the guys in there know it.\u201d<\/p>\n