Team Canada struggled in its rematch on Wednesday with the Czech Republic. Ondrej Palat had a goal with under eight minutes left to give Czechia the lead, with Tomas Hertl hopping on the assist train. Mind you, this was a Canadian team that beat the Czech Republic, 5-0, during its quest for hockey hegemony.
Still, this randon Wednesday morning saw the Canadians struggle with the Czech Republic. How were they struggling with this group? Could they pull off a victory and keep Tomas Hertl's team at bay? The game left hockey fans saying one little thing during this confusing game.
Of course, that was until Nick Suzuki forechecked his way into the game-tying goal. Then, it took an overtime goal from Mitch Marner to put away the Czech Republic for good, 4-3. Yes, the same Mitch Marner that many Canadians said wasn't clutch under the bright lights.
Remember when Maple Leafs fans trashed Marner's inability to come up big when the lights were bright? They said that the Vegas Golden Knights megastar couldn't do anything of substance during the playoffs, saying that he couldn't handle the pressure. Let's not forget that Sidney Crosby was injured during this game.
Well, it took swimming through the Czech defense and firing off a back-hander to win it for Canada. Man, that has to be the most awkward conversation for the Canadians, mainly in Ontario. Maple Leafs fans weren't expecting to eat a heaping dose of crow on a Wednesday morning, yet here we are.
Mitch Marner shows that he's great in the clutch
Hockey fans can point to Marner setting up Connor McDavid's tournament-clinching goal in last season's 4 Nations Face-Off as a perfect example of his clutchness. Without the Golden Knights superstar, does Canada survive and win it all?
But Wednesday added more ammo for Marner to silence his critics. He burst through the Czech Republic defense while entering the offensive zone. He doesn't turn the puck over and pulls off the back-handed goal to move Canada to the semifinals. How can you hate the guy for scoring the game-winning goal?
As a result, the Canadians move on to the next round, where they await their next opponent. As for the Czech Republic, Tomas Hertl returns to Las Vegas. He comes out in one piece, even after a forgettable Olympics showing. Maybe some bumper play will get Hertl back on the right track?
Marner's clutch performance bodes well for the Vegas Golden Knights
When Marner was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights last summer, people said he was mediocre in big moments. As mentioned, they talked about the Maple Leafs' playoff failures and how he shriveled up.
Well, he put those criticisms to rest once and for all. The Golden Knights' superstar took the initiative against a solid Czech Republic team, cutting through the defense for the game-winning goal. 13 goals and 50 assists in 70 career playoff games were suddenly forgotten about as the Canadians celebrated.
That's great news for a Golden Knights team built on clutch performers. Last season, the juice wasn't there, with players such as Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev not showing up. That was a problem for Vegas against the Minnesota Wild—and eventually, the Edmonton Oilers—as they were eliminated in the second round. But Marner's game-winning goal should inspire confidence in a Golden Knights team looking to take the next step.
Perhaps Auston Matthews was the problem, after all. Maybe it was the American Captain that runs away from the Stanley Cup, screaming like a little girl. Whatever the case, Marner's certainly got some clutch moments in his arsenal, with Wednesday's moment being another notch.