Canada Hockey: MacKinnon's late goal lifts team into Olympic gold game
In a dramatic Olympic semifinal finish, Nathan MacKinnon scored in the final minute to send canada hockey into the gold-medal game Sunday at 8: 10 a. m. ET. The one-timer finished a sustained sequence and produced a 3-2 comeback victory over Finland that sets up a championship contest on Sunday morning.
Canada Hockey heads to gold
MacKinnon’s finish, a one-timer on a saucer pass from Connor McDavid, beat Juuse Saros with 35. 2 seconds left and gave Canada the lead after trailing earlier in the game. The goal completed a comeback that included a Sam Reinhart score earlier in the second period that had cut the deficit to 2-1. With the win, canada hockey advanced to the Olympic gold-medal game scheduled for Sunday at 8: 10 a. m. ET.
MacKinnon's decisive play
The game-winner was the product of a lengthy, coordinated sequence. MacKinnon won a wall battle on the half wall that kept play alive; the puck eventually found McDavid in the right circle, who fed the pass that MacKinnon one-timed home. That finish capped a high-pressure shift and came after Finland had shown an effective neutral-zone clogging strategy and even scored a short-handed goal earlier in the second to extend its lead.
Power play preparation and depth
Players on the roster traced the play back to extended preparation work carried out over the past year, beginning with a camp-style gathering that brought key pieces together on the same power-play unit. McDavid’s involvement in the sequence, and his role as primary playmaker on the unit, was highlighted by his tournament scoring output; he reached double-digit points in the event and moved past historical marks for Olympic scoring for NHL players.
Crosby’s status and lineup notes
Sidney Crosby was ruled out of the Finland game with a lower-body injury sustained in the quarterfinal against Czechia, though he has not been ruled out for the gold-medal game. In his absence, the lineup shuffled: a young replacement moved onto the top power-play unit and played a team-high shift total while generating multiple shots on goal. Coaching staff described the change as an example of the team’s depth and workmanlike approach to game management.
What to watch on Sunday
The final will test whether Canada’s late-game execution holds up in a single championship setting and whether the injured players can return to influence the contest. If injured players are available, they would reconfigure the top-unit chemistry that produced the semifinal’s decisive sequence. Expect close attention to special-teams matchups, defensive zone transitions, and how Canada counteracts opponents’ neutral-zone packing, all observable indicators that shaped the semifinal outcome.
Key takeaways
- MacKinnon scored with 35. 2 seconds left to give Canada a 3-2 semifinal win over Finland.
- Canada advances to the Olympic gold-medal game Sunday at 8: 10 a. m. ET; Crosby’s availability for that game is not ruled out.
