Team Canada is heading to the semifinals at the 2026 Winter Olympics after a dramatic 4-3 overtime victory over Team Czechia in Wednesday’s quarterfinal.
It was anything but comfortable.
The Czechs carried a late third-period lead, but Canada responded when it mattered most before Mitch Marner buried the winner in three-on-three overtime to cap a thrilling comeback.
© Amber Searls-Imagn ImagesFast Start for Canada
Canada opened the scoring thanks to a burst of speed from Connor McDavid. He stripped a puck in stride, attacked the net and slid a backhand pass across to Macklin Celebrini, who ripped home his fifth goal of the tournament past Lukas Dostal.
The tally made Celebrini the youngest Canadian to score in an elimination game at a best-on-best tournament.
© Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesCzechia answered quickly. Radko Gudas disrupted a Canadian play in the neutral zone to start the sequence, and Roman Cervenka eventually found Lukas Sedlak at the top of the crease who sent a shot past Jordan Binnington to tie the game.
The Czechs then grabbed the lead on the power play. Filip Hronek teed up David Pastrnak for a one-timer that rang off the post and in, giving Czechia a 2-1 advantage while Cervenka picked up his second assist of the night.
Canada’s bench was dealt a blow in the second period when Sidney Crosby left the game after taking a hit from Gudas. He did not return due to a lower-body injury.
© Amber Searls-Imagn ImagesPower Play Delivers
Facing a one-goal deficit late in the second, Canada capitalized on a cross-checking penalty. Celebrini found McDavid, who quickly moved it to Nathan MacKinnon. MacKinnon snapped a wrist shot past Dostal to tie the game 2-2.
McDavid’s assist was his ninth of the tournament, setting an Olympic record in the NHL participation era.
The teams went into the third period deadlocked.
© Mike Segar/Reuters via Imagn ImagesLate Drama
Czechia reclaimed the lead midway through the third. Ondrej Palat finished off a feed from Martin Necas at 12:18, picking the far side to restore the one-goal edge.
With time slipping away, Canada found another answer. Devon Toews fired a wide shot, but Nick Suzuki got just enough of it to tip the puck through Dostal’s five-hole at 16:33, tying the game 3-3.
Moments later, Binnington delivered one of the biggest saves of the night, denying a Czech breakaway to preserve the tie and force overtime. He finished with 21 saves in the victory.
© Marton Monus/Reuters via Imagn ImagesMarner Ends It
Three-on-three overtime didn’t last long.
Marner broke into the offensive zone against three defenders, cut toward the net and lifted a backhand shot over Dostal’s shoulder and under the bar to seal the 4-3 win.
Celebrini finished with a goal and two assists, while McDavid added two helpers in another dominant performance.
With the win, Canada advances to Friday’s semifinal, now two victories away from Olympic gold.