canada vs czechia hockey: Marner and Suzuki lift Canada to OT quarterfinal escape
Canada edged Czechia 4-3 in a tense Olympic quarterfinal on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 (ET), when Mitch Marner split two defenders and buried a backhand in three-on-three overtime. Nick Suzuki’s late goal forced extra time after Macklin Celebrini and Nathan MacKinnon had given Canada leads earlier in the game. The victory keeps Canada on track in the medal hunt but came with a significant injury concern to captain Sidney Crosby.
Marner’s overtime finish and late drama
In a knockout game that looked destined for an upset, Marner produced the decisive moment in overtime, beating Czechia goalie Lukas Dostal with a deft backhand after creating space between two defenders. The finish capped a roller-coaster matchup that saw momentum swing several times.
Nick Suzuki kept Canada alive with a tipped point shot with just under three and a half minutes remaining in regulation, nudging the score to 3-3 and sending the game into sudden death. Celebrini opened the scoring for Canada early, continuing a prolific tournament stretch, while MacKinnon’s power-play marker tied the game in the second period after Canada had spent more than 15 minutes trailing.
For Czechia, Lukas Sedlak’s early equalizer and David Pastrnak’s power-play strike — coming while Celebrini sat in the box — kept the contest tight. Ondrej Palat restored a Czech lead in the third, but Canada’s late surge forced overtime, where Marner finished the comeback.
Goalkeeping, saves and a key injury
Jordan Binnington delivered one of the night's most consequential stops, denying Martin Necas on a breakaway just ahead of the final minute of regulation, a save that proved vital in preserving Canada’s chance to tie and ultimately win. Dostal faced a heavy workload for Czechia and surrendered four goals, including the overtime winner.
The game carried a worrying development for Canada when captain Sidney Crosby was ruled out ahead of the third period after leaving the bench roughly six minutes into the second with an apparent lower-body issue following an awkward hit. The hit forced Crosby to limp toward the dressing room and he did not return, leaving a potential hole in Canada’s lineup as the tournament progresses.
Standouts, context and what’s next
Macklin Celebrini continued his standout tournament, scoring the opener and pushing his total to five goals, while collecting his seventh point — a mark that ties a notable teenage Olympic points record set in 2006. Connor McDavid extended his hot form with assists on Canada’s first two goals, moving into a tie for the most points in a single Olympics involving NHL players.
This quarterfinal was a rematch of the teams’ group-round meeting, which Canada had won decisively earlier in the tournament. Czechia showed more bite in the elimination setting, clawing back from deficits and testing Canada’s depth and discipline. Canada’s second period dominance — outshooting Czechia 16-5 in that frame — underscored the home side’s ability to tilt the ice, even when trailing.
With this win, Canada advances into the semifinal portion of the Olympic bracket and remains a favorite for medal contention, though Crosby’s injury injects uncertainty into the next phase. The team will need to manage recovery timelines and lineup adjustments as it prepares for the next opponent in pursuit of gold.
What began as a heavily favored outing for Canada turned into a classic elimination-game test. The overtime winner preserved a path forward, but the late scare and the loss of the captain ensure the coming days will include both celebration and close attention to player health.
