OLYMPICS: Ice hockey-'Go get it, boys': Injured Crosby's pep talk powers Canada quarterfinals comeback

MILAN – Canada’s men’s ice hockey team needed a pep talk from injured captain Sidney Crosby to pull off a dramatic 4-3 overtime victory against the Czech Republic on Wednesday, booking their place in the Olympic semifinals.

The Czechs pushed the favorites to the brink, forcing Canada to rally late in regulation. Nick Suzuki scored the equalizer with less than four minutes remaining, and Mitch Marner ended the contest 82 seconds into overtime.

Crosby, 38, left the ice in the second period after a collision with Czech defenseman Radko Gudas and did not return. Despite this, he inspired his teammates from the bench.

“He couldn’t come out for the third, but he did address the players,” said coach Jon Cooper. “We didn’t want this to be Sid’s last game at these Olympics. So it was a big motivator for the guys coming out.”

Crosby’s message to the team? “‘Go get it, boys,’” Cooper said.

A longtime star and Stanley Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Crosby has delivered some of Canada’s greatest Olympic moments, including the 2010 “Golden Goal.” His legacy fueled the team’s comeback.

“Hopefully he’s back in the next game,” said 19-year-old forward Macklin Celebrini. “That’s our leader, our captain, the heart and soul of our team.”

-Reporting by Amy Tennery and Giulio Piovaccari in Milan; Editing by Bill Berkrot/Reuters