MILAN, Italy — Team Canada enters its first do-or-die test of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games today, 18 February 2026, facing off against Czechia in a high-stakes quarter-final match at the Rho Fiera Milano.
The puck dropped at 10:40 a.m. ET (4:40 p.m. local time) for this win-or-go-home encounter. Early reports from the arena indicate a tightly contested start, with Macklin Celebrini continuing his standout tournament by netting an early goal for Canada, though Czechia has already responded to keep the score level at 1-1 in the opening frame.
The Road to the Quarter-Finals
Canada enters the knockout stage as the tournament’s top seed after a flawless 3-0-0 run through the preliminary round. This afternoon’s game is a rematch of the tournament opener on 12 February, where Canada delivered a clinical 5-0 shutout against the Czechs. In that meeting, Jordan Binnington stopped all 26 shots, while the “three-headed monster” of Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon dictated the pace of play.
Czechia, however, arrives at the quarter-final with renewed momentum. After finishing the group stage with a 2-1-1 record, they secured their spot in today’s game by defeating Denmark 3-2 in the qualification round on Tuesday. Czech forward Martin Nečas previously hinted that the lopsided score in the first meeting did not reflect his team’s potential, suggesting the Czechs are prepared to play a more aggressive forechecking game today.
Key Matchups and Lineup Notes
- Goaltending: Jordan Binnington remains the projected starter for Canada following his opening-night shutout. Czechia is expected to lean heavily on Lukáš Dostál to weather the Canadian offensive storm.
- Special Teams: Canada’s penalty kill has been a pillar of their success so far, operating at an 85.71% efficiency rate. They will need that discipline today against a Czech power play that has found its rhythm since the tournament began.
- The Celebrini Factor: The young phenom Macklin Celebrini has transitioned from a “player to watch” to a primary scoring threat, consistently finding the scoresheet alongside Canada’s veteran NHL superstars.
How to Watch
Canadian fans can follow the action live on CBC, TSN, and Sportsnet. Live streaming is available via CBC Gem and the CBC Sports app. The winner of today’s match will advance to the semi-finals to face the victor of the USA vs. Latvia/Slovakia bracket.
Canada Wire will continue to provide live updates as the score progresses in Milan.