Sidney Crosby out for Olympic gold medal game; sidney crosby not in Canada's lineup
sidney crosby was not in Canada’s lineup for the Olympic gold-medal game in Milan and was ruled out about an hour before the puck drop, a decision that left the team short of its captain for a 2-1 overtime loss to the United States.
Not in the lineup and present for the medal ceremony
Crosby did not play in Sunday’s gold-medal game and Canada settled for the silver after a 2-1 overtime loss to Team USA. He was on the ice afterward, wearing his captain’s jersey for the medal presentation despite not dressing for the game.
How the injury unfolded in the quarterfinal against Czechia
The lower-body injury that kept sidney crosby out began in Canada’s quarterfinal win over Czechia. In that game he was hit along the boards in the second period by Martin Nečas and Radko Gudas; Yahoo Sports noted it was the third major hit he had taken that period. ’s account said Crosby was hurt midway through the Czechia game as he was trying to brace for a hit from defenseman Radko Gudas, with the play ending awkwardly and Gudas toppled over Crosby. He exited the ice, limped toward the locker room, and was soon ruled out of that quarterfinal contest.
Medical steps in Milan: imaging, experts and closed practices
Imaging showed that Crosby avoided the worst-case scenario with the lower-body injury. Over several days in Milan he consulted with several experts on hand and skated in closed sessions on both Friday and Saturday. Those closed practices were a departure from the team’s earlier openness to media. Team meetings involving Crosby, team coaches and doctors culminated in the decision that he could not play.
Coaching timeline and the last-minute status calls
Canada coach Jon Cooper had called Crosby a game-time decision on Saturday, and earlier in the week Cooper had said he believed Crosby had a chance to play. Team staff described Crosby as having "tried everything" to return but ultimately unable to play; others emphasized it was a selfless decision because he did not feel he could help the team in full capacity and that his roster spot would be better served by a healthier player. The ruling out came roughly an hour before game time.
Leadership, legacy and roster notes: Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Olympic records
Crosby, 38, is the oldest player on Canada’s roster and the nation’s most decorated skater, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who scored Canada’s golden overtime goal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. He has played in three Olympic Games for Canada, winning gold in Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014. While in Milan he had two goals and four assists, and he holds the Canadian NHL-era Olympic record with 16 total points. Under international rules every team must dress a captain, so Connor McDavid wore the "C" for Canada in Crosby’s absence and will continue as the playing captain since Crosby’s injury. McDavid summed up Crosby’s presence succinctly: "He’s Sidney Crosby. He’s going to have a big influence no matter what. In the lineup, not in the lineup, he’s going to have a big influence. That’s what he does. "
Reaction and closing notes: Subban’s praise for Team USA
P. K. Subban offered full praise for Team USA men’s hockey after its victory over Canada to win the gold medal. The tournament ended in Milan with the United States atop the podium and Canada taking silver.
