Team Canada to go for gold

MILAN — Those crazy, cardiac Canadians did it again.

Not content with putting themselves — and their fan base — through just one emotional roller-coaster at these Winter Olympics, the men’s hockey team doubled down Friday with another heart-stopping thriller. It was yet another glorious reminder of just how incredible best-on-best hockey at the highest level can be.

“It’s not over until it’s over, right?” said defenceman Thomas Harley, doing his best Yogi Berra impression.

No, it certainly isn’t. At least not with this Canadian roster, which clearly likes to live dangerously and has a flair for the dramatic.

This time, an early 2-0 deficit ended in a 3-2 win over Finland, as Nathan MacKinnon scored on the power play with 36 seconds left in the third period to complete the rally and send Canada to Sunday’s gold-medal game (7:10 a.m. CT).

“That’s what he does. He’s one of the most intense people I’ve ever met. His dedication to the game and to getting better and to being the best, it really is impressive,” said forward Brad Marchand.

“And you have to be able to see it to really understand how dialed in he is and the sacrifices he makes. It’s all to build for moments like this. When the pressure’s the highest, when the moments are the biggest, he wants to be the guy, to be the difference maker and take over.”

Canada will play the United States, who routed Slovakia 6-2 in the other semifinal on Friday.

“That’s as good as it gets. It’s what we came here to do. Can’t be more excited,” said forward Bo Horvat.

It’s been quite a 48 hour span, considering Canada was just 3:27 away from Olympic elimination Wednesday night before snatching victory from the jaws of defeat when Nick Suzuki tied the game and Mitch Marner won it in overtime.

“It’s been a lot. Two nail-biters,” said Connor McDavid, who was appointed captain for the game with Sidney Crosby sidelined with a lower-body injury.

“It’s best-on-best. The best teams in the world going at it with the best players in the world, all playing for something very very meaningful. And you’re seeing that. This is what we’ve been missing, isn’t it? It’s been great hockey.”

It was a different set of hockey heroes this time around. After Mikko Rantanen opened scoring in the first on the power play and Erik Haula gave the shorthanded, feisty Finns a two-goal lead just 3:26 into the second period, Canada was suddenly on the ropes.

But the favourites began stepping on the gas — over and over again — dominating play from that point on. Finland appeared content to sit on its advantage but ultimately got burned.

Consider this: shots were 31-9 for Canada over the final 40 minutes.

Sam Reinhart cut the deficit in half with just over five minutes left in the second period, executing a perfect tip of a Cale Makar point shot with his team on the power play.

“He’s the best in the world at taking that ice,” Reinhart said of Makar.

“A lot of it’s being in the right spot for him. First and foremost, you’re trying to take the goalie’s eyes away because he’s got probably the best shot in the world from the top of the circles. Then when he shoots it that hard, it’s almost instinct. You’re not really thinking about it. That’s why he’s the best in the world.”

The Canadians kept coming, although the clock was starting to become an enemy. But unlike Wednesday, they didn’t let it get to the nitty-gritty. Defenceman Shea Theodore tied it up with just under 10 minutes left in regulation, unleashing a rocket from the blue line that beat Finnish goaltender Juuse Saros.

“Exciting to see it go in,” said Theodore.

“We believe in ourselves. We believe in our game and we like our team. There’s not much you can do when you’re down other than you just keep pushing. Made a couple tweaks to our game. There’s no quit. Obviously, we saw it in the Czech game. That doesn’t matter if we’re down or up, we’re going to try and play the same way.”

Still, the prospect of another overtime loomed — and with the three-on-three Olympic format, that’s a risky proposition. A coin flip, if you will.

But Canada continued to press and eventually drew a critical power play when Finnish defenceman Niko Mikkola caught MacKinnon in the face with a high stick — a penalty that Finnish superstar Teemu Selanne, one of the most popular Winnipeg Jets, didn’t feel should have been called.

“Beating greatest hockey country in the world and Canadian referees same night is impossible I guess,” Selanne wrote on his X account. “Absolutely embarrassing penalty 90 seconds to go in Olympic semifinal. What a joke.”

After some sublime puck movement and sustained offensive-zone pressure, the top trio of MacKinnon, McDavid and 19-year-old phenom Macklin Celebrini delivered the biggest goal of the tournament. So far.

“It’s incredible. There’s so many threats on that power play, so many dangerous players,” said forward Sam Bennett. “They’re so smart. They work together so well. They can score five different ways with five different guys.”

Still, Bennett wasn’t surprised to see the winner come off MacKinnon’s stick.

“He’s a dog. That’s why they call him the ‘Nate Dog,’” he said. “He battles every shift. He does it all, and he came up clutch when we needed him. That’s what your best players gotta do.”

There were a few more nervous moments after the goal, as Finland challenged the play for offside. That led to a lengthy video review with officials ultimately determining it was a clean entry and a good goal.

Never in doubt, right?

“It’s fun. When you’ve got a team like this that’s got so many leaders on it and everybody’s been through scenarios like this before, regardless of what team they’re playing for, it’s amazing to see all the veterans in the room and how positive everybody is,” said Makar.

“The talk just never really stops. I think everybody was honestly more comfortable in that 2-0 deficit than when we went down last game. We’re just growing as a team and hopefully getting better every day and I felt we did that (Friday).”

McDavid’s two assists gave him 13 points through five Olympic games, establishing a new Games record for most by an NHL player. Selanne and Saku Koivu, both of Finland, shared the previous mark of 11.

Now the focus turns to Sunday and the possibility that Crosby could find a way back into the lineup, even if he’s not at 100 per cent.

“We have 48 hours to decide that. But I will tell you he’s got a better chance of playing that than he did of playing today,” said head coach Jon Cooper.

His teammates are certainly rooting for a return.

“Sid is one of those guys that every guy that laces up their skates wanted to make him proud,” said forward Tom Wilson.

“You know he’s watching. You want to give it all for him, and he’s one of the highest respected players in the game of hockey. So when he’s leading the way for us, and he can’t go (Friday), every single guy was trying to play to the best of their ability for him and, you know, hopefully moving on here, he gets another shot at playing.”

Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey has also missed the last four games with a lower-body injury suffered in the first period of his Olympic debut and remains day-to-day.

winnipegfreepress.com/mikemcintyre