MILAN — Sidney Crosby left Canada’s Olympic quarterfinal game against Czechia in the second period with a lower-body injury and was ruled out.
Canada advanced to the semifinals with a 4-3 victory in overtime.
Crosby’s right leg appeared to buckle when bracing for contact on a big hit from Czechia defenseman Radko Gudas a few minutes into the second. Ondrej Palat hit Crosby and sent him sliding into the boards just before that, with no penalty called despite the puck not being in the vicinity.
Crosby appeared to be laboring a bit after the check from Gudas. Martin Necas and Gudas then crunched Crosby along the boards.
He took one stride after the collision with Necas and Gudas before shaking his right leg, wincing and leaving the ice for the bench. The 38-year-old two-time Olympic gold medalist was in noticeable pain and received medical attention there before limping off the bench and down the tunnel as Canada trailed 2-1.
Hockey Canada said during the third period that Crosby would not return to the game.
Crosby is Canada’s oldest and most accomplished player. He scored the famous golden goal in overtime against the United States at the 2010 Games in Vancouver to win it all on home ice and was captain when Canada went unbeaten and never trailed on the way to gold in 2014 in Sochi.
Again wearing the “C” in Milan, Crosby had two goals and four assists in three preliminary round games.
