First, MacKinnon was drilled in the chin area by Crinon and was down on the ice for a few seconds. He wasn’t happy and admitted he was still mad about it on his next shift.
So was Wilson, who engaged with Crinon in front of the French net before punches started flying, earning each a game misconduct.
“I think when guys wear the same jersey as Tom, he’s going to play for you and it takes a special person to do that,” MacKinnon said.
MacKinnon, of course, does not wear the same jersey as Wilson during the NHL regular season. He plays for the Colorado Avalanche and Wilson, one of the most physical players in the NHL, is on the Washington Capitals. Sticking up for each other is what makes the Olympics so unique, Crosby said.
“That’s one of the special parts when you get opportunities like this,” Crosby said. “You see just how close the team gets, how guys come together and how much they understand as soon as you put this jersey on, regardless of where you played before or what’s happened in the past, you’re in it together.”
They may be even closer after Sunday, which could spell bad news for the rest of the gold-medal hopefuls here.
“That’s a big part of what we’re all about,” Canada coach Jon Cooper said. “These guys would go through a wall for each other, and it’s fun to watch.”
NOTES: McDavid has nine points (two goals, seven assists) at the 2026 Games, passing Jonathan Toews (eight in 2010) for the most by a Canada player at an Olympic tournament with NHL players. He also set the record for most points through the first three games of an Olympics with NHL players. … Crosby has 15 career points (six goals, nine assists) in the Olympics, passing Jarome Ignila (10 goals, four assists) for the most by a Canada player in Olympics involving NHL players. … The only other players to score on a penalty shot at an Olympics with NHL players are Team Kazakhstan’s Evgeny Koreshkov (Feb. 21, 2006) and Team Latvia’s Andrejs Maticins (Feb. 14, 2002). … Canada’s 10 goals were the second most by one team in a game in an Olympics with NHL players; the record was set Saturday in Team Finland’s 11-0 win against Team Italy.
