Toews comes up huge, Canada survives Necas and the Czechs

Martin Necas almost called his shot, and it would’ve been one of the most iconic moments in international hockey history

Team Canada, who hadn’t trailed, let alone lost, a best-on-best game since the 2010 Olympics, were down 2-1 against the Czechs on Wednesday in a win-or-go home quarterfinal game.

That’s when Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon stepped up in the middle of the second period to even up the count at two each. His nasty wrister from the circle on the power play erased what had been Canada’s first deficit in an Olympic game featuring NHL players in 805:01 of game time.

McDavid connects with MacKinnon to TIE IT UP at two. 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/jqiB8ski1k

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 18, 2026

And it looked like Canada could take off from MacKinnon’s goal, echoing their 5-0 win over the Czechs in pool play just about a week ago.

But as time kept ticking the game kept getting tighter and the result started getting more stunning. The Czechs were just hanging in there until they handed Canada what looked like a plane ticket home from Italy.

On the rush, Necas moved down the wing and set up a pretty pass to Ondrej Palat to take a Czech lead with just 7:42 left in the third.

ONDREJ PALAT IN THE CLUTCH. CZECHIA ON THE BRINK OF A HUGE UPSET OVER CANADA. pic.twitter.com/ApVqyA33vg

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 18, 2026

For a moment it looked like Necas’ quip from Tuesday, after leading his nation to a win past Denmark to just gain a spot in the quarterfinals, looked very wise.

“We let them win the first one because we knew we were not going to win two in a row against Canada,” he said.

Four minutes later, his Avalanche teammate Devon Toews took a pass from the dot and flicked the puck toward the net from the blue line. That’s when it found Nick Suzuki’s stick, redirecting the shot and tying the game at three with just 3:27 left in the game.

WHEN HIS COUNTRY NEEDED HIM MOST, NICK SUZUKI DELIVERED. 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/LKLlElEXpK

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 18, 2026

But the game wasn’t yet headed to overtime as much as it loomed.

Somehow a puck found the stick of the speedy Necas, who blew past Toews for a breakaway on Jordan Binnington with 70 seconds left. The longtime Avalanche nuisance and Canadian goalie stoned Necas, to keep the Olympic hopes of his nation as well as Toews, MacKinnon and Cale Makar alive.

Just 82 seconds into 3-on-3 overtime Mitch Marner scored the game-winner to send Canada to the medal round behind a 4-3 win and the Czechs are going home.

It was nearly one of the biggest upsets in hockey history led by an Avs star and at the very least, those of us in Colorado have to feel good about how all of the hometown team’s players did in such a pressure-filled moment. Colorado’s trio of Canadians will play again on Friday, the Gold Medal game is on Sunday. The Avs return to play a week from today, those not at the games left the ice at practice in Colorado to go watch the final moments of Wednesday’s classic.

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