After days of speculation, we now know that the Penguins and Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby will not play against the United States in the gold medal game.
According to the International Ice Hockey Federation website, which lists the lineups for the game, Team Canada will not be making any changes from their semifinal game against Finland, meaning Crosby will once again be a scratch.
Crosby was hurt in Canada’s quarterfinal win over Czechia last week.
He left the ice in the second period after a hit from defenseman Radko Gudas. Crosby, Canada’s captain, remained on the bench for a couple of minutes before heading to the locker room. He was favoring his right leg on the ice before being ruled out.
Crosby tried to play throughout the medal round
After Crosby’s injury against the Czechs, he skated multiple times, but did not play in the semifinal round against Finalnd, but Team Canada Head Coach Jon Cooper said that they were monitoring his injury and did not rule him out for the tournament.
When Canada clinched its spot in the gold medal game, Cooper said on Friday that there was a “better chance” that Crosby would be ready to go, but ulitmately, that did not come to fruition.
There was also speculation Crosby would dress as a 13th forward, which is allowed in the Olympics, but Cooper shut that down.
“We don’t want to have someone in there as an inspiration when we could have a player in there capable of helping,” he said. “He wouldn’t want to do that, either.”
The 38-year-old star for the Pittsburgh Penguins has two goals and four assists for Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.
Team USA could win first gold medal since 1980
One of the most famous games in sports history is the 1980 Miracle on Ice, when the Americans defeated the Soviet Union on the way to the gold medal.
Since then, the USA men’s team has only finished as high as second at the Olympics.
This will also be the first time since 2010 that the United States and Canada will meet in the gold medal game. In Vancouver, Team Canada won the game 3-2 in overtime thanks to “The Golden Goal” from Sidney Crosby.
Today’s game is set for 8:10 a.m.