NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 19, 2026
The semifinals of the Olympic Men’s hockey tournament are set following a dramatic day of quarterfinal action, and the latest news as NHL teams resume practicing in today’s Morning Coffee Headlines.
CANADA, FINLAND, SLOVAKIA, AND THE UNITED STATES ADVANCE TO THE OLYMPIC SEMIFINALS
NHL.COM: Canada overcame 2-1 and 3-2 deficits to defeat Czechia 4-3 on an overtime goal by Mitch Marner.
Team Canada winger Mitch Marner (NHL.com)
Nick Suzuki tied the game 3-3 late in the third period for Canada after Czechia took the lead with too many men on the ice, which went unnoticed by the officials. Macklin Celebrini had a goal and two assists, and Connor McDavid collected two assists to tie an Olympic record for the most points in a single tournament with 11.
Lukas Dostal made 37 saves while Lukas Sedlak, David Pastrnak, and Ondrej Palat scored for Czechia.
Canada will face Finland in the semifinals on Friday.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was the most dramatic of the four quarterfinal matchups. The Canadians’ victory was overshadowed by the loss of team captain Sidney Crosby with a lower-body injury suffered during the second period following a hit from Czechia defenseman Radko Gudas and another awkward one along the boards.
Crosby limped off the ice and didn’t return. He underwent an MRI following the game, leaving fans and pundits speculating about whether they had seen the last of him in this tournament.
Czechia played a tremendous game against a Canadian team that had blown them out earlier in the tournament, but head coach Radim Rulik wasn’t happy about the officiating. Following the game, Rulik complained about missed penalty calls during this tournament.
However, the Czechs also benefited when they scored that crucial goal with six skaters on the ice that the officials somehow overlooked. In fairness, both teams had justifiable cause to complain about the officiating in this contest.
An overtime goal by Artturi Lehkonen completed a three-goal comeback by Finland for a 3-2 win over Switzerland. Damien Riat and Nino Niederreiter gave the Swiss a 2-0 lead after two periods, but third-period goals by Sebastian Aho and Miro Heiskanen set the stage for Lehkonen’s overtime heroics.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A thrilling comeback by the Finns and a heartbreaking loss for the Swiss, who haven’t medaled in Olympic Men’s hockey since 1948.
The United States will face Slovakia in the semifinals following a 2-1 overtime win over Sweden. Quinn Hughes tallied in overtime after Mika Zibanejad tied the game for the Swedes late in the third period. Dylan Larkin also scored, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 28 shots for Team USA. Jacob Markstrom made 38 saves for Sweden.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Markstrom kept Sweden in this game as the Americans peppered him with 20 shots in the second period. They also played without defenseman Victor Hedman, who suffered an injury during warmups and spent the entire game on the bench.
This game felt like a chapter closing for the Swedes. Long-time stars such as Hedman, Markstrom, Erik Karlsson, and Gabriel Landeskog are in their mid-thirties, and this game was probably their final appearance in Olympic competition.
Slovakia advanced to the semis with a dominant 6-2 victory over Germany. Pavol Regenda tallied twice, Dalibor Dvorsky and Oliver Okulier each had a goal and an assist, and Samuel Hlavaj kicked out 25 shots for the Slovaks. Lukas Reichel had a goal and an assist for the Germans.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slovakia continues to impress in this tournament. Their dismantling of Germany was a complete team effort. However, they’re about to face their biggest test of the tournament against a deep, star-studded American squad.
Finland vs Canada is on Friday at 10:30 ET, while Slovakia vs the USA is at 3 pm ET. The winner of those games will face off in the Gold Medal Game on Sunday, Feb. 22.
NHL NEWS
FOREVER BLUESHIRTS: New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin and defenseman Adam Fox were full participants at practice on Tuesday. There’s a good possibility the sidelined duo will return to the lineup when the Rangers resume action on Feb. 26.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: The Oilers have brought back Paul Coffey to their coaching staff in an effort to improve their defensive game. Their defense was the league’s fifth-best last season under Coffey’s guidance.
SPORTSNET: Anaheim Ducks goaltender Petr Mrazek underwent hip surgery on Tuesday and is out for the rest of the season.
THE PROVINCE: Oft-injured Vancouver Canucks center Filip Chytil was struck in the face by a puck during practice on Wednesday. He will undergo X-rays to determine the extent of the injury.
YARDBARKER: Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine was back on the ice with his teammates on Wednesday after skipping practice on Tuesday with a lower-body injury.
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson’s absence from the lineup was revealed to be a minor knee procedure. He’s participating in practice, but has not yet taken part in contact drills.
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins forward Pavel Zacha returned to practice on Wednesday in a non-contact jersey. He’d been sidelined since Jan. 29 with an upper-body injury.
TAMPA BAY 28: Lightning defenseman Maxwell Crozier will be sidelined for 10 weeks after undergoing core muscle surgery.
USA! USA!! USA!!!! 😁👍
Yanks better watch out for Slovakia
3 of 4 games were outstanding
Kudos to all the teams. Most exciting day of Olympics so far
How did Marner do yesterday laffs fans. Just asking for a friend.
Aww come on with the “Laffs” crap. I thought that had finally run its course.
I think with them probably NOT making the playoffs this year that the “Laffs” will run a “recourse”. Maybe a coarse recourse! 😉
Think the same sort of mocking will be directed at the other 15 teams missing the playoffs? Both the Red Wings and Sabres are about to end LONG droughts, but I can’t recall juvenile epithets like “the Dead Things” ever running a “recourse” over the past 8 seasons.
Lyle, yesterday when you commented on that too-many-men-on-the-ice infraction and said “The problem is that it couldn’t be challenged like it would’ve in the NHL” – which I wasn’t aware of – it made me wonder why NOBODY on the bench wasn’t screaming at the officials as the play developed? Or a bunch of fans in the stands?
And from what you say, even if they had done that and the officials ignored them and the goal scored as happened, it wasn’t appealable?
If so, that is asinine in the extreme.
Yes, it is asinine. And yes, the Canadian bench was in a uproar. Cooper was screaming at the refs that the Czechs had too many men on the ice while the play was developing. Overall, just horrible officiating.
I hope those paerticular clowns aren’t officiating the Gold Medal game!
The best was all six of them hugging after the goal. LOL
Outstanding comedy.
That USA v. Sweden game was slow and dull. Even the 3 on 3.
Zibanejad looked 25 again though. He was easily the fastest Swede.
DarkG, I was surprised by your analysis of the Sweden ,US game.Especially after your team Canada had to go into OT to beat Czechia after beating them handily 5-0 earlier in the tournament!
Only because the idiot officials can’t count beyond 5 did the game have to go into OT in the first place.
SR.
It was just slow. Like they were both playing tentative. That game went to overtime for different reasons. Like the American’s sitting on a lead against a team full of (old) but bonified NHL superstars. Letting Hughs wander around untouched for most of the overtime wasn’t very smart.
The Can v. Cze game was FAST…both teams. And clever trapping by the Czechs. If the USA can duplicate neutral zone shut down–just dump it out stuff against Canada. They’ll keep it close. That’s if one or either team make the final. The Finns are tough and Slavkovsky is on a mission.
“particular”
My commendation yesterday to Czechia for playing such a good game, and showing such grace in the post game handshake remains.
I exempt their head coach. Talk about audacity.
Sweden deserved to lose that game; squandered so many chances. I thought zibanejad looked like he was skating in mud. He has such a great shot, Forsberg really bad. Raymond too. It seemed like the swedes waited too long to get it cranked up
What I noticed about the Swedes is that, if a medal were awarded for the “prettiest passes” they’d have locked up Gold.
What, are they afraid to SHOOT the damned thing?
George O, yes they passed up on so many chances to shoot. That last PP was really squandered!. It’s amazing how the commentators and some media guys quoting players like we want to leave all out there, etc. but wonder what they are thinking about wide open chances? Man, I was having a difficult time rooting for them!
That is the European disease… I’ve watched most major Euro leagues live… it’s what they do… pass all day long and all the way to the crease.
They haven’t grasped the… shoot the puck, cause some disruption and get into the hard area for a rebound.
Raymond had multiple chances to score and was dangerous with 6 sog, a beautiful assist on the tying goal, and the most TOI and shots of any Swedish forward.
One or two out of 12 Fs isn’t going to cut it.
Wonderful to see the Swedes pack it up.
Women’s Final US 2- Canada 1 OT!