MacKinnon, Makar Shine as Team Canada Dominates Olympic Opener
Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar wasted no time making their presence felt on the Olympic stage. The Colorado Avalanche stars powered Team Canada to a commanding 5-0 win over Team Czechia in their tournament opener, setting the tone for a squad loaded with firepower and expectations.
Let’s start with Makar, who looked every bit the elite blueliner we’ve come to expect. Late in the first period, with the game still scoreless, he unleashed a shot from the point that found its way through traffic.
It didn’t go in clean - instead, it was tipped home by 17-year-old phenom Macklin Celebrini, but the play started with Makar’s vision and execution. That assist opened the scoring and gave Canada the momentum they never let go of.
MacKinnon, meanwhile, had to wait a little longer to get on the board - and it didn’t come without a bit of drama. He found the back of the net earlier in the first period, only to have the goal waved off due to a penalty on teammate Nick Suzuki. For Avs fans, that kind of reversal probably feels all too familiar this season.
But MacKinnon wasn’t going to be denied. In the third period, with Canada on the power play, Connor McDavid delivered a picture-perfect feed across the crease, and MacKinnon buried it with ease.
Add in a secondary assist from Sidney Crosby, and you’ve got a highlight-reel goal featuring three of the biggest names in Canadian hockey. That tally made it 4-0 and effectively put the game out of reach.
On the other side of the ice, Avalanche forward Martin Necas suited up for Czechia. He managed a shot on goal, but like the rest of his team, found little room to operate against a Canadian squad that looked dialed in from the opening puck drop.
Devon Toews, another key piece of Colorado’s blue line, also had a solid outing for Canada. He finished the game with a plus-two rating, having been on the ice for two of Canada’s five goals. While he didn’t show up on the scoresheet, his steady presence on the back end helped keep Czechia’s offense in check.
This was the kind of start Canada needed - dominant, confident, and full of contributions from their biggest stars. With MacKinnon and Makar leading the charge, and the rest of the roster clicking into gear, the gold medal chase is officially underway.
Next up: a Friday matchup against Team Switzerland. If this opener was any indication, Canada’s just getting started.