Jon Cooper Shares His Message to Team Canada After Sidney Crosby's Injury vs. Czechia

Canada survived its quarterfinals clash against Czechia, securing a win in overtime in order to secure a place in the semifinals. It was a physical battle on the ice between the two nations, and Canada’s captain Sidney Crosby was forced to exit the game with a leg injury he sustained after taking a pair of crunching hits during the second period.

Crosby didn’t return to the game, but Canada was able to stave off elimination thanks to some late heroics from Nick Suzuki and Mitch Marner, who scored the game-tying and game-winning goals, respectively.

Canada coach Jon Cooper spoke to reporters after the win and revealed his message to the team during the second intermission as he tried to rally the squad in the aftermath of Crosby’s injury.

“This will not be Sid’s last game at the Olympics,” Cooper said, via Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas.

At 38 years old, the Milan Cortina Olympics will almost certainly be Crosby’s last time playing in the Games. Cooper got his team fired up by making sure they knew what was on the line, and reminding them that they had to get the job done for their beloved captain.

The team was able to tie things up at 3–3 late into the third period, when Suzuki beat Czechia goalie Lukas Dostal with a sensational tip-in in front of the net. Canada forced overtime and Marner stepped up and delivered the game-winner to propel the team to the next round.

Cooper didn’t have a detailed update on Crosby’s status going forward, though the team will likely provide intel in the coming days. The semifinals are set to take place on Friday, Feb. 20, though Canada’s opponent won’t be determined until the teams are re-seeded after the quarterfinals.

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