Team Canada and assistant captain Connor McDavid are heading into the semifinal after their quarterfinal win.

But a late play has become the reason for McDavid’s frustration. The Richmond Hill, Ontario native addressed a missed too-many-men call that led to Czechia’s third goal. Canada survived with a 4-3 overtime win, but the moment was hard to forget.

McDavid, who leads the 2026 Winter Olympics with 11 points, admitted the bench missed it too.

“I’m upset we didn’t see it either,” McDavid said. “but everybody’s on the bench watching the game, and none of us saw it, so refs didn’t see it, nobody saw – it seemed like, Glad that it didn’t cost us our tournament, with that being said we definitely gotta be more aware of what’s going on out there.”

The play unfolded midway through the third period. A shot by Thomas Harley was blocked by Tomas Hertl. Martin Necas gathered the puck and pushed the rush. Ondrej Palat finished it with a wrister past Jordan Binnington for a 3-2 lead.

Replays showed what appeared to be six Czech skaters on the ice during the turnover. No penalty was called, and the play could not be reviewed under IIHF rules. Canada’s bench reacted late, and confusion marked the sequence. The goal gave Czechia life and put pressure on the top seed.

Coach Jon Cooper declined to comment in detail after the game.

What was IIHF’s response to the missed call?

Hockey analyst Pierre LeBrun reported that the IIHF admitted officials missed Czechia’s too-many-men infraction on the 3-2 goal. He asked a spokesperson and said he admitted that it was a mistake.

“Asked the IIHF for comment on the missed call, 6 Czechs skaters on the ice for their 3-2 goal,” LeBrun posted on X. “An IIHF spokesperson today said they reviewed it and obviously saw what we all saw, there was a missed called there.

“The IIHF says they went through a thorough process to select the on-officials for this tournament, the best of the best are here. But mistakes happen. The spokesperson said everyone involved has regrouped and are focusing on the rest of the tournament.”

However, Canada still recovered after the missed call. Nick Suzuki tied the game with 3:27 left in regulation, and in overtime, Mitch Marner scored at 1:22 on a 3-on-3 play. He attacked with speed and beat Lukas Dostal to the far side. The goal sent Canada to the semifinal at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

McDavid finished the night with two assists, extending his multipoint streak to four games. He has driven Canada’s attack all tournament. The team has outscored opponents 24-6.

Still, the missed call serves as a warning. One lapse can shift a medal-round game, so they should leave no doubt next time.

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