MILAN – When Canada’s hockey captain Sidney Crosby was sidelined by injury during a crucial Olympic quarter-final match, his teammates found the inspiration they needed from an unlikely source: Crosby himself, speaking from the locker room.
The Canadian squad staged a dramatic comeback against Czech Republic on Wednesday, overcoming a deficit to win 4-3 in overtime and advance to the Olympic semi-finals. The victory came after what many considered a surprisingly difficult challenge from the Czech team.
Canada appeared dominant early in the Milan contest but found themselves in serious trouble as the game progressed. Nick Suzuki managed to tie the game with under four minutes remaining in regulation, setting the stage for Mitch Marner to score the winning goal just 82 seconds into overtime.
The team was forced to compete for most of the game without their 38-year-old leader, who left the ice carefully during the second period following a collision with Czech defender Radko Gudas and never returned to action.
“He couldn’t come out for the third but he did address the players,” explained coach Jon Cooper. “We didn’t want this to be Sid’s last game at this Olympics. So it was a big motivator for the guys coming out.”
Cooper revealed Crosby’s simple but powerful message to his teammates: “‘Go get it, boys’,” the coach shared.
“He’s a true leader and they didn’t want it to be the end of the tournament for him,” Cooper added, noting it was premature to discuss the captain’s injury status.
The Pittsburgh Penguins star and Stanley Cup champion holds legendary status in Canadian hockey, having created some of the nation’s most memorable Olympic achievements, including the famous 2010 “Golden Goal.” His current teammates drew strength from protecting that legacy.
“Hopefully he’s back in the next game,” said 19-year-old forward Macklin Celebrini. “That’s our leader, our captain, the heart and soul of our team.”
