Pittsburgh Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL or NHLPA

Sidney Crosby addressed the team in the locker room after being forced out with injury


PUBLICATION
Jack Sutherland
February 18, 2026  (8:31 PM)
SHARE THIS STORY

Sidney Crosby of Canada walks out to the ice before a men's ice hockey quarterfinal during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby addressed the team in their locker room after he was forced out of the rest of the game with a lower body injury against Czechia, who they eventually beat 4-3 in OT.

Team Canada nearly suffered two major losses today against Czechia, losing captain Sidney Crosby to a lower body injury after he was hit by both Radko Gudas and Martin Necas.
Crosby left the game and was subsequently declared out for the rest of the afternoon, and it's unknown how long he's going to miss.
But there was a moment of inspiration between the second and third periods, as Crosby addressed the team in the locker room to fire up the group despite his injury.
Head coach Jon Cooper also said that he hopes that it wasn't Crosby's final appearance of the Olympics.
Crosby told his teammates, "Go get it, boys," during intermission.

Cooper: "We didn't want this to be Sid's last game of this Olympics."
Crosby had six points (2G, 4A) so far in the Olympics for Canada, who still haven't lost a single game in Olympic play when he's been in the lineup.

Canada Nearly Blew It Against Czechia But Won In OT

Canada's bacon was saved late in regulation not long after New York Islanders forward Ondrej Palat stunned them with a go-ahead goal in the third period, even though replays later showed that they had too many men on the ice.
Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki's deflection through the pads of Lukas Dostal tied the game, and then ex-Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner scored in the OT GWG, helping Canada avoid what would have been a historic collapse against a heavy underdog.
Canada next plays Finland for the right to go to the gold medal game, but the major question on everyone's mind is the status of Crosby for that game.
POLL
FEVRIER 18|415 ANSWERS
Sidney Crosby addressed the team in the locker room after being forced out with injury

Can Canada win the gold without Sidney Crosby?

Yes35685.8 %
No5914.2 %
List of polls

HOCKEYUNPLUGGED
COPYRIGHT @2026 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
TERMS OF SERVICE - PRIVACY POLICY - COOKIE POLICY
RSS FEED - SITEMAP - ROBOTS.TXT