Canada Hockey: MacKinnon’s late winner sends Canada to Olympic gold game
canada hockey fans were left breathless Friday after Nathan MacKinnon delivered a late, dramatic goal that gave Team Canada a 3-2 victory over Finland in the Olympic semifinal and booked a spot in Sunday’s gold-medal game at 8: 10 a. m. ET.
MacKinnon’s strike broke a 2-2 tie and sealed a comeback
Team Canada trailed 2-0 early in the game before Sam Reinhart cut the deficit to 2-1 later in the second period, and Canada eventually tied the game. In the closing moments, Nathan MacKinnon converted a feed from Connor McDavid and beat Juuse Saros to put Canada ahead, producing the game-winning goal in the semifinal and a 3-2 final score against Finland on Friday.
Crosby’s absence and the bench adjustments that followed
Sidney Crosby was ruled out of the Finland game after suffering a lower-body injury in Canada’s 4-3 overtime quarterfinal win against Czechia on Wednesday, and his absence reshaped deployed units during the semifinal. With Crosby sidelined, Macklin Celebrini moved onto the top power-play unit and played a team-high 25: 53, recording eight shots in the game as Canada pushed to reach Sunday’s final.
McDavid’s setup and the power play work that produced it
Connor McDavid set up the decisive sequence and drew praise for his playmaking; his pass found MacKinnon in traffic and the one-timer beat Finland’s goaltender. McDavid also added to his tournament totals, posting points that pushed him to a leading Olympic mark for NHL players in the event, a milestone reached during the semifinal performance.
Cole Harbour reaction and local ties to the team
Back in Nova Scotia, Cole Harbour reacted with elation to MacKinnon’s late goal — the same community that celebrated Sidney Crosby’s “Golden Goal” in 2010. Banners honoring both Crosby and MacKinnon hang in Cole Harbour Place, and local venues filled as fans watched Canada’s comeback and the 3-2 result that propelled the team into the gold-medal match.
Canada’s semifinal win sends the squad to Sunday’s gold-medal game at 8: 10 a. m. ET. Team officials have said Crosby has not been ruled out for that game, and fans will see the lineup decisions and recovery updates play out before puck drop.
