Team Canada announced that Sidney Crosby influenced their 3-2 semifinal comeback win over Finland despite being sidelined with a lower-body injury.
Tom Wilson revealed that Crosby remained in the locker room during the game, providing guidance to teammates between periods.
“He was in the room, which was cool. Guys were leaning on him in the intermission, talking to him about what he could see from up top,” Wilson said postgame.
The veteran forward sustained the injury during Canada’s quarterfinal victory over Czechia on Wednesday.
Wilson described the emotional impact of playing without their captain.
“He’s just one of those guys that – it’s very cliche, like when a teammate goes down, oh you want to play for him – but Sid is one of those guys, you really want to make him proud. You really want to play for him. I know personally, in my mind, I wanted to do everything I could for a guy like that, and I know everybody in that room did.”
Canada trailed Finland 2-1 entering the third period before mounting their comeback victory.
Connor McDavid wore the captain’s armband in Crosby’s absence. He’s hoping to return the role for Sunday’s gold-medal game.
“Just keeping the ‘C’ warm for Sid,”
McDavid told Sportsnet’s Luke Fox after the win.
Head coach Jon Cooper provided an update on Crosby’s availability for the final against the USA-Slovakia winner.
“We have 48 hours to decide that. But I will tell you he’s got a better chance of playing (the gold-medal game) than he did of playing today,”
Cooper told the New York Post’s Mollie Walker.
Crosby leads all Olympic tournaments featuring NHL players with 16 points in 17 games.
He’s recorded two goals and six points in four contests at these Games before the injury.
