MILAN – Canada advanced to the gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, defeating Finland 5-3 in a tightly contested semifinal matchup on . However, the victory came at a cost, as captain Sidney Crosby remained sidelined with a lower-body injury sustained in Wednesday’s quarterfinal win over Czechia.
The win sets up a highly anticipated rematch with the United States in the gold medal game on . Canada will be looking for redemption after a previous loss to their rivals.
Crosby’s absence loomed large over the Canadian bench. The 38-year-old forward suffered the injury during the second period of the quarterfinal game and underwent an MRI, which, according to sources, revealed a situation that wasn’t as severe as initially feared. Despite the positive outlook, he was ruled out for the semifinal against Finland. Head coach Jon Cooper stated the team is taking Crosby’s recovery “day by day,” and there remains a possibility he could return for the gold medal game, though his availability remains uncertain.
“We’re not going to put anyone in harm’s way,” Cooper said on . “But if [Crosby] can play, he’s definitely going to.”
In Crosby’s absence, Connor McDavid captained the team against Finland. The transition was seamless, according to those within the Canadian camp. “He’s Sidney Crosby,” McDavid said. “He’s going to have a big influence, no matter what. In the lineup, not in the lineup, he’s going to have a big influence. That’s what he does.”
Canada found themselves trailing early against Finland. Mikko Rantanen opened the scoring just three seconds into a power play for Finland. Erik Haula extended the lead with a short-handed breakaway goal, putting Canada in a 2-0 hole. However, Canada responded before the end of the first period with a power-play goal from Sam Reinhart.
Theodore’s goal in the third period tied the game, completing Canada’s comeback. The game was tied 2-2 when Theodore scored.
Cooper adjusted his lines for the game against Finland, with Nick Suzuki centering the third line in place of Crosby. Bo Horvat and Seth Jarvis were elevated to the second line alongside Nathan MacKinnon. Sam Bennett returned to the lineup after missing the quarterfinal, bumping Sam Reinhart to the role of extra forward.
On defense, Josh Morrissey remained out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury, marking his fourth consecutive game missed. Canada held a closed-practice session on morning.
Jordan Binnington started in net for Canada, a decision Cooper defended, stating the goaltender had “given us a chance to win.”
The Canadian lineup featured the following forward lines: Macklin Celebrini – Connor McDavid – Tom Wilson. Bo Horvat – Nathan MacKinnon – Seth Jarvis; Mitch Marner – Nick Suzuki – Mark Stone; Brandon Hagel – Sam Bennett – Brad Marchand, with Sam Reinhart as the extra forward.
The defensive pairings were: Devon Toews – Cale Makar; Thomas Harley – Colton Parayko; Travis Sanheim – Drew Doughty, with Shea Theodore as the extra defenseman.
The victory over Finland demonstrates Canada’s depth and resilience, even without their captain. The team’s ability to overcome an early deficit and adjust to Crosby’s absence speaks to the strength of the roster assembled by Cooper. The gold medal game against the United States promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the men’s Olympic hockey tournament.
Wayne Gretzky, speaking prior to the semifinal, emphasized Binnington’s importance to the team, stating that the goaltender was Cooper’s top choice as far back as January 2025.
