Mitch Marner scores overtime winner for Canada

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Mitch Marner scores overtime winner for Canada
Credit: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Do you like hockey in the morning?

At 10:40 a.m. (Quebec time), Canada had a game against the Czech Republic on the schedule for the men's hockey tournament at the Winter Olympics.

Canada had this lineup, including Nick Suzuki.

From the outset, it couldn't be said that the Canadians were dominating. The Czech Republic had their chances and even led in shots on goal early in the game.

However, Jon Cooper's men struck first.

Connor McDavid, in a sequence that reminded us why he is one of the best players in the world, paved the way for the next face of the NHL to score.

Because yes, when the Connor McDavids and Nathan MacKinnons of this world are no longer in their prime, it will undoubtedly be Macklin Celebrini's league.

The Czechs' efforts finally paid off midway through the game. A turnover by Mark Stone allowed Radko Gudas to make a beautiful pass to Lukas Sedlak.

The score was tied.

Worse still, after the Canadians missed their chance on the power play, David Pastrnak gave his team the lead with a beautiful goal in the first period.

And for the first time since 2010, Canada was trailing in a hockey game involving NHL players.

Add to that the lack of discipline on the part of the players here, and it's easy to see why Canada has shaken up its lines (particularly in the case of Nick Suzuki) in an attempt to generate some spark.

By necessity, the Canadian coach was forced to change his approach since the captain, Sidney Crosby, retired to the locker room after injuring his leg. Radko Gudas didn't make any friends in Canada, let's just say… pic.twitter.com/XWTu0tpy97

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) February 18, 2026

Things went better for Canada in the second period, even if everything wasn't perfect. Although the Czechs were missing some pieces in the game, the underdogs continued to win faceoffs and put pressure on the Canadians, for example.

But at some point, the cream rose to the top on the power play and the tie was broken.

Nick Suzuki, who took advantage of Crosby's absence to get more playing time, missed a relatively open net at the end of the second period. And he was upset with himself. In the third period, the Czechs (Canada's nemesis at the World Junior Championship) regained the lead. At that point, the Canadians were in real trouble, considering they were just minutes away from elimination. But Nick Suzuki—luckily he was playing—brought both teams back to square one. No one in Montreal is surprised to see him playing the hero at the end of the game, of course.

The 3-3 game went into overtime. Hello, stress!

Mitch Marner (a player known for not stepping up in the NHL playoffs) finally ended the debate by sending Canada to the semifinals with a beautiful goal. In doing so, he ensured that his country would play in Friday's semifinal and fight for a medal.

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