Mitch Marner’s dazzling game-winning goal helps Canada survive Czechia overtime scare originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Team Canada is heading to the men’s Olympic ice hockey semifinals.
Canada matched up with Czechia in the quarterfinals, and it was a tighter game than many anticipated. Czechia actually had a lead well into the third until Nick Suzuki scored with less than five minutes left in the game to tie it up at three.
Olympic men’s ice hockey in the quarterfinals utilizes a different overtime system. After a commercial break, the third period ends, and it goes to a 10-minute 3-on-3 sudden death format. One minute and 22 seconds into overtime, Canada’s Mitch Marner found the back of the net for the win.
Here is more on Marner’s game-winning goal.
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Mitch Marner goal vs. Czechia
Marner is normally someone you would expect to assist a goal, rather than score it, but he decided to take matters into his own hands. The Vegas Golden Knights winger took the puck to the left of the goal and had the goalie locked in on him. He went with a backhand and somehow had the perfect angle to sneak it inside the far post past Czechioa goalie Lukas Dostal, who had the near post covered.
To add to the highlight-reel goal, Marner had fallen to the ice while shooting, but got up elated before going to celebrate with his team.
The most-clutch moment of Mitch Marner’s career came with the Maple Leaf on his chest. pic.twitter.com/6ukczEiEBL
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 18, 2026
MORE: How did Canada beat Czechia?
Canada vs. Czechia score
Canada beat Czechia 4-3 in overtime.
Team Canada took the early lead as Macklin Celebrini scored just 3:05 into the first period. Czechia responded with a goal by Lukas Sedlak and David Pastrnak to end the first period up 2-1. Nathan Mackinnon scored halfway through the second to tie it up. Ondrej Palat put Czechia up with about eight minutes to go in the game, and Suzuki scored with less than four minutes left to keep Canada in the game.
Marner scored the game-winner early in overtime to send Canada to the semifinals.
