canada vs czechia hockey: Marner and Suzuki come up clutch as Canada survives in OT
Mitch Marner split two defenders and finished on a backhand in three-on-three overtime to lift Canada to a 4-3 quarterfinal win over Czechia on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 ET. Canada avoided a stunning upset, advancing to the Olympic semifinals after a game that featured late drama, a scare for the Canadian captain and several standout individual performances.
Late-game heroics and a tense finish
Canada trailed at stages of the matchup but found timely scoring when it mattered most. Macklin Celebrini opened the scoring just over three minutes into the game. Czechia responded through Lukas Sedlak and a power-play goal from David Pastrnak to take a 2-1 lead in the first period.
Nathan MacKinnon tied the game on the power play in the second period after Canada had been chasing the game for more than 15 minutes. With under 3: 30 remaining in regulation, Nick Suzuki redirected a tipped point shot to knot the score at 3-3 and force sudden-death overtime.
In three-on-three overtime, Marner split two Czech defenders and slid a backhand past Lukas Dostal to seal the win. Jordan Binnington had earlier made a crucial stop to deny Martin Necas on a breakaway just ahead of the final minute of regulation, preserving the tie and giving Canada a chance to finish the job in OT.
Injury concern and record-setting performances
Canadian captain Sidney Crosby left the bench six minutes into the second period after an awkward hit from Radko Gudas and was ruled out of the game ahead of the third period with a lower-body injury. The team will assess his status in the coming days, with the semifinal schedule approaching.
Connor McDavid was a driving force on offense, assisting on Canada’s first two goals and reaching 11 points in the tournament, tying the all-time mark for points in a single Olympics since NHL players returned. Celebrini continued his breakout showing, scoring his fifth goal of the tournament and recording his seventh point, a haul that places him among the most productive teenagers in Olympic history.
On the Czech side, Pastrnak and Ondrej Palat provided key moments that kept the contest close. Goaltender Lukas Dostal turned away a number of chances, but ultimately surrendered the overtime backhand. Binnington’s timely saves, especially the late stop on Necas, were decisive in keeping Canada alive.
Implications and what comes next
Canada’s 4-3 overtime victory moves the team into the Olympic semifinal with momentum but also fresh questions regarding lineup health. The win preserves the country’s pursuit of gold after a dominant preliminary round in which the team piled up an impressive goal differential and beat Czechia handily in the group stage.
For Czechia, the performance showed resilience and the ability to challenge an elite opponent in a one-game elimination setting, even if the outcome ultimately fell the other way. The loss ends Czechia’s run at this edition of the Games, while Canada will now prepare for its semifinal matchup, with exact opponent and game time to be finalized on the tournament schedule.
Postgame updates on injuries and roster availability are expected as teams finalize travel and recovery plans ahead of the medal-round schedule later this week.
