In a thrilling Olympic quarterfinal clash, Team Canada narrowly edged out Czechia with a 4-3 overtime victory, but not without some controversy. A pivotal third-period goal by Czechia's Ondrej Palat, which gave them a temporary 3-2 lead, came under scrutiny for having too many men on the ice. This oversight was caught by eagle-eyed fans after the game.
Drew Doughty of Team Canada addressed the situation candidly, admitting that neither players nor coaches noticed the infraction in real time. “Not a single player, coach knew until after the game.
Nobody. Yeah, we talked about it.
We're like, ‘How did that get missed?' But I mean, we all missed it.
It makes sense that the refs could miss it too. S*** happens,” Doughty remarked.
Typically, having six skaters on the ice is a strategic move when a team pulls their goalie, but this wasn't the case here. Czechia and Canada were tied, and goalie Lukas Dostal was still between the pipes when Palat scored. The situation involved four forwards on the ice, which should have been flagged.
TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported that the IIHF acknowledged the error, emphasizing that despite selecting top-tier officials for the tournament, mistakes can occur. The focus now shifts to the remaining games, as officials and teams regroup.
Despite the setback, Canada showcased resilience. Nick Suzuki managed to tip in a crucial goal with under four minutes left, pushing the game into overtime. It was Mitch Marner who sealed the victory with an overtime goal, propelling Canada into the semifinals.
Looking ahead, Canada is set to face Finland at 10:40 a.m. Eastern on Friday.
Czechia appears to have gotten away with a pretty blatant too-many-men infraction on Ondrej Palat’s 3rd period goal. 😳#MilanoCortina2026 pic.twitter.com/Skn0oHQj3B
— BarDown (@BarDown) February 18, 2026
The stakes are high, with a spot in the gold medal game on the line, while the loser will compete for bronze. Meanwhile, Team USA and Slovakia will battle it out in the other semifinal.
Amidst the on-ice drama, Canada is also keeping a close watch on their captain, Sidney Crosby. He exited the game in the second period due to a lower-body injury.
Crosby, determined to inspire his teammates, addressed the team before the third period. His status remains uncertain for the upcoming match, as Coach Jon Cooper has labeled him day-to-day.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes are on Canada to see if they can maintain their momentum and overcome these challenges on their quest for Olympic glory.