MILAN — Sidney Crosby was not in the lineup for Sunday’s Olympic gold medal game.
The Canada captain missed the semifinal game against Finland with a lower-body injury he suffered in the quarterfinals against Czechia. Canada coach Jon Cooper had called Crosby a game-time decision on Saturday.
Imaging revealed that Crosby avoided the worst-case scenario with his injury, sources told ESPN. Over the past few days, Crosby did everything he could to return to the tournament, including consulting with several experts on hand in Milan.
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A source said Crosby “tried everything, just couldn’t play,” while another source stressed that it was a selfless decision from Crosby, who didn’t feel he could help the team in full capacity and that his roster spot would be better served by a healthier player.
It had been trending in the right direction for Crosby to play over the past two days, but the decision was made after a long meeting involving Crosby, team coaches and doctors.
Crosby skated both Friday and Saturday, but Canada closed those sessions to the media — which went against the team’s practices earlier in the tournament.
Crosby was hurt midway through the Czechia game as he was trying to brace for a hit from defenseman Radko Gudas. The play ended awkwardly with Gudas toppled over Crosby.
Crosby, 38, is the oldest player on Canada’s roster and the most decorated — especially after scoring the golden goal in overtime to defeat the United States at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
