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Canada advances as Marner, Suzuki, and McDavid play hero: Recap, Reaction, and Highlights
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Photo credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Michael Menzies
Feb 18, 2026, 13:30 ESTUpdated: Feb 18, 2026, 13:59 EST
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For those concerned about Team Canada not having any adversity so far in the Olympics, you got it. Exhale.
Connor McDavid and Team Canada survive and advance as Mitch Marner scored 1:22 into 3-on-3 overtime to complete the comeback and defeat Czechia 4-3 in a tense, thrilling, and dramatic hockey game.
Canada will advance to the semi-finals.
“I just saw I had a hole there…the whole game was a battle,” said Marner moments after the game. “Guys didn’t quit…we got rewarded for it.”
As Canada trailed late in the third period, Nick Suzuki scored with 3:29 remaining in regulation to equalize on a wicked re-direction in front of netminder Lukas Dostal. Canada’s netminder Jordan Binnington made several big saves, including on a breakaway to deny Martin Necas with just a minute left, one of his 21 total. Binnington also made a massive save early in overtime, coming out of his crease to challenge on a defensive zone breakdown.
Connor McDavid collected two assists on Canada’s first two goals to make it 11 overall for the tournament, tying the record for an NHLer at the Olympics shared by Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu.
“It was tough… they’re a great team,” said McDavid afterwards. “It’s tough to beat a team twice in a row…they made a lot of adjustments…they gave us everything we could handle.”
He set up Macklin Celebrini’s fifth goal of the Winter Games just 3:05 into the hockey game, but the Czech’s did not lose their resolve. Lukas Sedlak replied five minutes later to tie the game. Then on a CZE powerplay, David Pastrnak fired home his second of the tournament to give Czechia a 2-1 lead at the first intermission.
Sidney Crosby left the game in the second period after an awkward hit from Radko Gudas and did not return, leaving Canada thinner at center. Head coach Jon Cooper put Nathan MacKinnon on McDavid’s line with Celebrini.
MacKinnon tied the game on the powerplay 2-2, on a McDavid pass.
Ondrej Palat looked to play spoiler. With just 7:42 remaining in the third period, he gave the Czechs the go-ahead goal on his first of the tournament. However, all four on-ice officials missed a blatant too many men on the ice penalty, as the Czechs had six players on the ice.
Suzuki, who earlier missed a wide-open net, then put on his cape and found a way to deflect a Devon Toews shot to find a tie. Dostal was hard to beat all game, making 37 saves in the game as the Czechs far and away played their best game of the tournament.
In overtime, Sedlak won the opening draw for first possession. The Czechs had a great look, but after a Canada change, Marner got his opportunity. It’s been a quiet tournament for Marner offensively, but his shot tucked underneath the crossbar was clutch.
It was shades of heroics he showed for Team Canada at the Four Nations, when he scored the overtime winner against Sweden in a 4-3 victory.
“Obviously there was an underlying belief…it’s hard not to feel that tension,” said McDavid. “That’s a huge goal by Suzuki…and a bigger one by Mitch.
“A lot of teams are trying to find their way in the tournament…it’s little adjustments here and there.”
Canada will await to see who they play in the semis. Earlier Wednesday, Slovakia defeated Leon Draisaitl and Team Germany 6-2, ending their Games.

Takeaways…

  • Not only did McDavid tie the NHLer record, with at least one more game to go, but his nine assists is a tournament record as well. His 11 points is also the fastest start to any tournament.
  • Martin Necas, who had an assist this game, finishes his tournament with three goals and five assists.
  • Macklin Celebrini leads the tournament in goals with five.
  • Canada’s powerplay improved to 5/12, sitting at 41.7 per cent.
  • Sidney Crosby’s status moving forward will have to be monitored. His leg seemed to plant awkwardly in anticipation of the hit from Gudas. How Canada manages their centre position will be Cooper’s next big decision.
  • It follows after injury questions surrounding MacKinnon, Brad Marchand, who both played, as well as scratches Josh Morrissey and Sam Bennett.
  • This was the first time Canada trailed at the Olympics since the 2010 tournament. That’s 805 minutes and one second of game time.
  • Canada is 16-2 in their last 18 best-on-best games at the Olympics.
Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and has been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, he also collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues.

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