Mitch Marner caps Canada comeback in Olympic OT win vs. Czechia - ESPN

MILAN — Nick Suzuki tied it on a deflection with 3:27 left, Mitch Marner scored in overtime and Canada avoided what would have been a stunning quarterfinal exit at the Olympics by rallying to beat Czechia 4-3 on Wednesday.

Canada fell behind with 7:42 remaining when Ondrej Palat scored on an odd-man rush off a pass from Martin Necas. The goal sent the Czech bench and fans into a wild celebration, but it was short-lived.

Suzuki just about did it all on the tying goal, sending the puck out to the point to Devon Toews and then redirecting the defenseman's shot past Lukas Dostal. Jordan Binnington denied David Pastrnak on a breakaway with 70 seconds left to send the game past regulation.

Then Marner's backhanded goal 1:22 into OT put Canada into the semifinals Friday, where it could face Finland, Switzerland or Sweden. The U.S. plays Sweden in the fourth and final quarterfinal on Wednesday night. Finland and Switzerland were ongoing when Czechia-Canada ended.

Canada even staying in the tournament has a major concern after losing Sidney Crosby to injury five minutes into the second period. Crosby's right leg appeared to buckle bracing for contact from rugged Czechia defenseman Radko Gudas, and he left the ice after getting crunched seconds later against the boards by Gudas and Necas.

In other quarterfinal games:

Slovakia 6, Germany 2: Dalibor Dvorsky turned in another brilliant performance with a goal and an assist, fellow NHL forward Pavol Regenda scored twice as part of his three-point game and Slovakia dominated Germany 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the semifinals and guarantee playing for a medal in Milan.

«Amazing,» said alternate captain Erik Cernak, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning. «Before the