San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini may not have found the back of the net in Canada’s Olympic semifinal clash against Finland, but his focus is firmly on the bigger prize: a shot at the gold medal.
Celebrini played a pivotal role in Canada’s thrilling 3-2 victory over Finland at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. With just 35.2 seconds left in the third period, he notched a crucial second assist on Nathan MacKinnon’s power play goal.
It was a textbook play-Celebrini scooped up the puck below the goal line, dished it to Connor McDavid, who then threaded a perfect pass to MacKinnon. The Colorado Avalanche star did the rest, slipping the puck past Finnish goalie Juuse Saros with mere seconds left on the power play.
The goal faced a tense review as Finland challenged Celebrini’s entry into the offensive zone. After a nail-biting pause, officials confirmed he was onside, validating the goal by the narrowest of margins.
As the youngest NHL player in the Olympic tournament, Celebrini has been nothing short of sensational. He led Canada with an impressive 25:53 of ice time and fired eight shots on net. His Olympic tally now stands at 10 points over five games.
Next up, Celebrini and Team Canada will face the winner of the United States vs. Slovakia semifinal in the gold medal game. Sharks winger Pavol Regenda, representing Slovakia, has also made his mark with four points in the tournament.
Canada’s resilience was on full display as they clawed back from a deficit. Shea Theodore tied the game 2-2 with a blistering shot from the blue line, beating Saros and setting the stage for the dramatic finish.
Despite outshooting Finland 14-3 in the second period, Canada found themselves trailing 2-1 after trading special teams goals. Finland capitalized on a Canadian turnover during a power play, with Erik Haula converting a breakaway to extend their lead. But Canada responded with their own power play goal, as Cale Makar’s shot was deftly tipped in by Sam Reinhart.
Celebrini’s relentless effort was evident throughout, leading Canada in both shots and ice time through two periods. Finland struck first with a power play goal late in the first period, as Mikko Rantanen’s shot found the net, giving them an early lead.
Celebrini, skating alongside Connor McDavid on the top line, has been a force throughout the tournament. Entering the semifinal, he was tied for second in scoring with nine points and led with five goals, showcasing his knack for rising to the occasion in high-stakes games. Now, with the gold medal game on the horizon, Celebrini and Team Canada are poised for a shot at Olympic glory.