Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett were absent from Canada’s practice Tuesday ahead of the men’s hockey quarterfinals at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
Head coach Jon Cooper said both forwards were held off the ice for “maintenance” and there’s “no panic” with Wednesday’s do-or-die game against either Czechia or Denmark on deck.
MacKinnon took a forearm cheap shot to the jaw from French defenceman Pierre Crinon in the third period of Sunday’s 10-2 victory that wrapped up Canada’s perfect preliminary round.
Tom Wilson dropped the gloves with Crinon — the first fight in Olympic hockey since 1998 — which resulted both players getting ejected under International Ice Hockey Federation rules on fisticuffs.
Josh Morrissey was a full participant in practice after leaving the country’s opener against Czechia with an undisclosed injury and sitting out the last two games. Cooper said Morrissey “looked great,” but didn’t know if he would be available for the quarters.
Veteran forward Brad Marchand, meanwhile, is available for Canada’s first do-or-die game after missing the last two contests with an undisclosed ailment.
