MILAN — Team Canada is one win away from the podium at the 2026 Winter Olympics men’s hockey tournament.

Canada punched its ticket to the semifinals with a dramatic 4–3 overtime comeback victory over Czechia in quarterfinal action at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. After finishing atop the preliminary round standings, the squad will face the lowest remaining seed in Friday’s semifinal showdown.

A balanced offensive surge powered the comeback, with goals from Macklin Celebrini, Nathan MacKinnon, Nick Suzuki, and Mitch Marner. Meanwhile, Connor McDavid added two assists, bringing his tournament total to 11 points — tying the record for most points in a single Olympic Games featuring National Hockey League players.

Between the pipes, Jordan Binnington delivered when it mattered most, steadying Canada through tense stretches and securing the overtime triumph.

Barely three minutes into the game, Canada struck first when Celebrini took a drop pass from McDavid and fired it past Lukáš Dostál to make it 1–0. That marked his fifth goal of the tournament.

About 10 minutes later, Czechia responded to tie the game. Radko Gudas intercepted a pass at center ice and carried the puck into Canada’s zone before feeding Roman Červenka, whose pass deflected off Lukáš Sedlák’s skate and into the net.

After Celebrini was penalized for interference, the Czechs capitalized on the power play. David Pastrňák one-timed a pass from Filip Hronek from the left circle to give Czechia a 2–1 lead. The goal marked the first time since 2010 that Canada had trailed in any game during best-on-best play at the Winter Olympics.

Nearly four minutes into the frame, McDavid drove the puck into the defensive zone as he skated behind the net and fed Cale Makar a pass at the right circle, but the reigning Norris Trophy winner’s shot clanged off the post.

About a minute later, Crosby was injured while attempting to avoid a hit from Gudas. The collision worsened when Gudas fell on top of him, threatening his left leg. Later in the shift, he took another hit against the boards, clearly in pain, and limped to the bench before heading to the locker room.

Nearly halfway through the period, Celebrini’s follow-through clip sent Pastrňák to the ice. No penalty was called, and the Bruins forward went to the bench for facial repairs.

Shortly after, Czechia’s Michael Kepný was sent to the box for interference after lifting MacKinnon’s stick during a puck battle. MacKinnon used the power play as fuel, scoring to tie the game.

With 3:17 remaining in the period, Canada thought they had taken a 3–2 lead, but Suzuki’s blast hit the post.

In the closing stages, Brandon Hagel lost his edge retrieving a puck along the boards. Gudas made slight contact with his head, earning a roughing penalty, which he angrily protested by slamming his stick against the glass in the penalty box.

The Czechs began the third killing off the Gudas penalty successfully, keeping the score even.

Halfway through the frame, the game remained tied. With nearly nine minutes left, McDavid tried to spin off the backwall and stuff the puck past Dostál, but the netminder was ready.

After Tomas Hertl blocked a huge shot, Martin Nečas recovered the puck and carried it into Canada’s zone, then dropped a pass back to Ondřej Palát, who fired it by Binnington to give Czechia a 3–2 lead with 7:42 remaining.

Canada tied it with 3:27 to go when Suzuki tipped a shot from Devon Toews to make it 3–3.

Nečas went on a breakaway, but Binnington stoned him to keep the score tied with under a minute to go.

Marner delivered the coup de grâce, taking a pass from Celebrini at center ice, driving the puck up the ice, navigating past three defenders, and firing a backhand by Dostál to send Canada to the semifinals.