Physicality was high during Wednesday’s men’s ice hockey game between Canada and Czechia, as both teams were finishing their checks along the boards.
Canada captain Sidney Crosby was rocked by a pair of big hits, and he came up a bit worse for the wear after getting checked by Radko Gudas during the second period. Crosby was able to get up under his own power, but he was hobbling a bit and could be seen skating gingerly to the bench. From there, he went into Canada’s locker room for further medical evaluation.
Crosby will undergo an MRI on Wednesday night, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan.
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Here’s a look at the two hits. On the first hit, Crosby was sandwiched in between Gudas and Martin Necas in what was a painful-looking collision. He got back to his feet after that, but was later trucked by Gudas again. That hit is the one in which it appeared Crosby injured his right leg.
The hits in question pic.twitter.com/ysUIjJfkJk
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) February 18, 2026
According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, Crosby will not return to Wednesday’s game.
The hits on Crosby were hard, but the game’s referees felt they were legal, and as such, no penalties were issued. Gudas is one of the NHL’s biggest enforcers, having recorded at least 230 hits in each of the last five seasons. He’s brought his physical play style, for which he’s made a name for himself, to the Olympics, helping to set the tone for Czechia.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Sidney Crosby Exits Canada’s Game vs. Czechia With Apparent Leg Injury.
