MILAN – Jordan Binnington faced intense scrutiny upon arriving in Italy as Canada’s goaltender for the Olympic hockey tournament, especially given his difficult NHL season. Despite doubts surrounding his selection, Binnington delivered pivotal saves during Canada’s 4-3 quarterfinal win over Czechia at the Milan Cortina Games, helping the team avoid an early elimination.
Before Mitch Marner scored the game-winning goal in overtime, Binnington made key stops, including a critical breakaway save late in regulation and another during overtime that kept Canada competitive and energized both the players and fans.
Key Moments That Defined the Tight Quarterfinal Match
After Nick Suzuki brought Canada back level with a late deflection goal, Binnington stood firm against a fast break by Czech forward Martin Necas with just over a minute left in the third period. The save provided a relieving pause for Canadian supporters at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and across the country.
During overtime, Binnington aggressively challenged Radim Simek’s shot following a defensive lapse, stopping the scoring attempt and allowing Marner to take advantage moments later by weaving through defenders and sending a backhand puck past Lukas Dostal.
So many moments in that game that were huge for our team,
Marner said.
Nick’s game-tying goal, Binnington’s save on Necas there late … some big plays in that game, and lucky enough, I was able to just make one that finished it.
?Mitch Marner, Player
Team Confidence and the Importance of Overcoming Adversity
Binnington emphasized that the tough quarterfinal test could serve Canada well as the tournament progresses. The matchup was hard-fought against a ready and determined Czech team, providing valuable experience at this stage of competition.
They were ready and gave us a very tough game. It’s good for us to experience this at this point in the tournament.
?Jordan Binnington, Goaltender
His reputation for performing under pressure was well established from his 2019 Stanley Cup win with the St. Louis Blues and recent international competitions. Binnington demonstrated his ability to rise in crucial moments by making a dramatic glove save against Auston Matthews during the 4 Nations Face-Off last February and starting this Olympic event with a shutout in Canada’s 5-0 victory over Czechia in the round-robin stage.
Binnington’s NHL Season Challenges Contrasted by Olympic Success
Despite these international achievements, Binnington’s NHL season statistics tell a different story. He holds an 8-17-6 record with a 3.65 goals-against average and a .864 save percentage, ranking near the bottom among NHL goalies with at least ten starts. Meanwhile, teammates Logan Thompson and Darcy Kuemper have posted higher save percentages during the Olympics.
Nevertheless, Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper committed to Binnington as the starter for the tournament well before it began, trusting in his experience and clutch performances.
When the game got tight, and especially when they took the lead, he shut the door,
Cooper commented.
He gave us a chance to come back. And so that’s what winners do. They give you that chance.
?Jon Cooper, Head Coach
Defensive Errors Put Additional Pressure on Binnington
Canada’s defense contributed to difficulties during Wednesday’s game. Mark Stone’s turnover allowed Lukas Sedlak to score the opening goal for Czechia, and David Pastrnak extended the lead with a strong power-play shot following a penalty against Macklin Celebrini. Later, Ondrej Palat scored the go-ahead goal in the third period during a successful Czech 3-on-2 rush, which included an unnoticed infraction of six players on the ice.
Binner gave us a chance to win the game,
Cooper said.
I haven’t digested all the goals, but I will sit here and say they were more on guys in front of him than on him. This wasn’t ones that leaked through him; that was on us.
?Jon Cooper, Head Coach
Teammate Praise Highlights Binnington’s Impact
Although Binnington experienced some issues with rebound control at times, his crucial saves under pressure earned the respect of his teammates. Macklin Celebrini noted the importance of Binnington’s presence during key moments.
That’s when we needed (the saves),
Celebrini said.
We needed him to make those saves and be there for us when we needed them. He did an outstanding job being the brick wall.
?Macklin Celebrini, Player
What This Win Means for Canada’s Olympic Hopes
Jordan Binnington’s strong performance helped stave off a quick exit, keeping Canada’s medal aspirations alive in a highly competitive Olympic tournament. His ability to perform under pressure, despite a challenging NHL season, reinforced his value between the pipes for Team Canada.
Moving forward, Canada will rely on Binnington’s experience and resilience as they face increasingly tough opponents in pursuit of gold. The team’s narrow victory demonstrates that cohesion, perseverance, and timely saves will be essential factors in the coming games at the Milan Cortina Olympic event.
