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Sidney Crosby injury update shifts Olympic gold spotlight to Sunday showdown
Photo credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Sidney Crosby is suddenly back in motion, and the Olympic gold medal game feels like it’s holding its breath.
Jon Cooper said Crosby skated Saturday, and there’s a real chance he plays Sunday against Team USA. It’s officially a game-time decision.
For Penguins fans, this is the exact mix of hope and dread you know too well.
Crosby missed Friday’s semifinal win over Finland after leaving Canada’s quarterfinal with a lower-body injury.
Before the injury, he looked dialed in, putting up 2-4-6 in three round-robin games.
If he can go, it changes everything about Canada’s bench and their late-game nerve.
"Game-time decision."
- Jon Cooper
- Jon Cooper
Even if he’s not 100 percent, Crosby’s puck protection and faceoff work are the kind of “small” things that win a one-game final.
It also lets Cooper spread the workload, instead of leaning on the same few stars for every tough shift.
Sidney Crosby has Pittsburgh Penguins fans sweating Sunday
You can already feel the fanbase arguing with itself, play him if he can stand, sit him if it risks weeks of Penguins hockey.
The key is whether Crosby can handle stops and starts, not just a straight-line skate in practice.
Canada can survive without him, but beating the U.S. usually demands your best closer.
One more wrinkle, Josh Morrissey will not play in Sunday’s gold medal game, thinning Canada’s blue line options.
That likely means heavier minutes for Canada’s top pairs, and a simpler breakout plan if the legs get tired.
If Crosby does dress, watch for shorter first shifts and a bit less penalty-kill usage early.
If he can’t, Penguins fans will still be watching closely, because the next update is about the weeks after the Olympics, not just one morning in Italy.
Also read on HockeyUnplugged :
Connor McDavid hands a clue on Sidney Crosby’s status, and Team Canada fans heard it loud
Connor McDavid hands a clue on Sidney Crosby’s status, and Team Canada fans heard it loud
Previously on HockeyUnplugged
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 21|277 ANSWERS Sidney Crosby injury update shifts Olympic gold spotlight to Sunday showdown Will Sidney Crosby play in the Olympic gold medal game Sunday? | ||
| Yes | 110 | 39.7 % |
| No | 167 | 60.3 % |
| List of polls | ||