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Canada 3, Finland 2 (FINAL): Nathan MacKinnon’s Late Goal Sends Canada to Gold Medal Game

Follow along for the latest updates as Canada takes on Finland in the Olympic semifinals.
Tom Dierberger, Mike Kadlick|
Nathan MacKinnon scored with 35 seconds left in the third period to give Canada its first lead of the game.
Nathan MacKinnon scored with 35 seconds left in the third period to give Canada its first lead of the game. | Erick Rasco / Sports Illustrated

For the first time since the 2014 Winter Olympics, Team Canada men’s hockey team and its flurry of superstars are heading to the gold medal game.

No. 1 Canada rallied back from a 2–0 deficit to defeat No. 4 Finland in the men’s hockey semifinals Friday 3–2.

Canada found itself down a pair of goals when Finland’s Mikko Rantanen scored on a power play in the first period, and Erik Haula added another on a shorthanded goal in the second. But Canada, which outshot Finland 14–3 in the second period, got on the board via Sam Reinhart’s power play goal, and Shea Theodore tied it in the third period with a nasty slap shot.

And then the stars showed up.

Tied 2–2 in the closing minute of regulation, Connor McDavid—Canada’s captain Friday as Sidney Crosby missed the game due to injury—fed Nathan MacKinnon for the game-winning goal with 35 seconds to play.

Canada pulled off another comeback.

After cruising through the preliminary round with three blowout wins, Canada has run into some trouble in the knockout round. In the quarterfinals, Crosby went down with injury in the second period and could only watch as Canada fell behind Czechia 3–2. But thanks to a late goal by Nick Suzuki and an overtime winner from Mitch Marner, Canada advanced to the semifinals. And now with another come-from-behind win, Canada is just one win away from its 10th Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey.

FOLLOW ALONG: Team USA vs. Slovakia: Live Updates, Analysis, and More From Men’s Hockey Semifinal

Up next? A gold medal game date with either Team USA or Slovakia. The U.S. takes the ice in the semifinals later Friday against No. 3 Slovakia at 3:10 p.m. ET.

Catch up on Sports Illustrated’s live blog for a minute-by-minute breakdown of Canada’s big win:

Canada vs. Finland: Live blog from men’s hockey semifinals

More Winter Olympics on Sports Illustrated

Listen to SI’s Olympics podcast, Daily Rings, below or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is the Deputy News Director at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor’s in communication from St. John’s University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

Mike Kadlick
MIKE KADLICK

Mike Kadlick is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the New England Patriots for WEEI sports radio in Boston and continues to do so for CLNS Media. He has a master's in public relations from Boston University. Kadlick is also an avid runner and a proud lover of all things pizza.

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