The Canadians will be playing without their captain, Sidney Crosby, in today’s semifinal game against Finland, Hockey Canada announced.
The winner of the game, which begins at 10:40 a.m. ET, moves on to the gold-medal game on Sunday.
Crosby left the quarterfinal win over Czechia with a lower-body injury. He left the ice and received treatment before going down the tunnel, walking gingerly.
According to Elliotte Friedman, who’s covering the Olympic hockey event for CBC on the ground, the team and everyone around Crosby did everything humanly possible for him to play, including searching for and putting together a custom brace.
Elliotte Friedman: Hockey Canada and Sidney Crosby tried ‘everything humanly possible’ to play today
On Thursday, head coach Jon Cooper said no one can replace Crosby, a two-time gold medallist.
“He’s one of one,” Cooper said.
But he pointed to his team’s depth as a way to make up for the loss.
“That’s why you have to pick the players when you’re putting this team together, that in case somebody like Sid goes down, [they] can step in,” he said. “We feel like we have that.”
Without Crosby available, Cooper shuffled his lines for Friday’s game. Nick Suzuki will take Crosby’s spot at third-line centre.
Bo Horvat and Seth Jarvis move up to the second line with Nathan MacKinnon.
After missing the game against Czechia, Sam Bennett draws back in, bumping Sam Reinhart to the extra forward.
Defenceman Josh Morrissey will miss his fourth consecutive game with an undisclosed injury after skating in practice Thursday. Canada held a closed-practice session Friday morning.
Goaltender Jordan Binnington gets the start.
Connor McDavid will wear the captain’s C with Crosby out. MacKinnon and Cale Makar will serve as assistants.
Canada captain Sidney Crosby leaves quarterfinal game with lower-body injury
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