MILAN (AP) — Jon Cooper has coached in the NHL long enough to know how much of a pest Brad Marchand can be as an opponent.
So it was no surprise to see the so-called “Rat King” being on brand with a men’s hockey gold-medal game berth on the line in Canada’s eventual 3-2 semifinal victory over Finland at the Milan Cortina Games on Friday.
With Canada down 2-1 midway through the third period, the Florida Panthers forward was in his familiar spot, battling for position in front of the net, when Erik Haula shoved him into goalie Juuse Saros. Marchand remained on top of the goalie long enough to delay Saros getting set as Canada’s Shea Theodore blasted a shot that beat him on the short side.
“First of all, Brad’s being Brad,” Cooper said, after Canada won on Nathan MacKinnon’s goal with 36 seconds left. “And I like that Brad.”
No penalty was called, and Cooper didn’t expect one upon watching the replay. Marchand was outside of the crease upon being pushed into Saros, and was eventually making an attempt to get out of the crease, which follows the letter of international hockey rules.
Saros could only laugh and shake his head in providing his view of what happened.
“I mean, you guys (reporters) have seen him multiple times, so I think you know,” the Nashville Predators goalie said. “Of course, yeah. I mean, he does that all the time.”
Whether it was during Marchand’s first 16 NHL seasons with the Boston Bruins, the past two with Florida or representing his nation in Milan, the two-time Stanley Cup winner’s pesky presence continues to make an impact at age 37.
“Honestly, once I got in the paint and kind of got pushed at him, I was just trying to get out of the way again,” Marchand said. “If they didn’t like it, they would’ve challenged it. I knew it was a goal.”
Then asked about how much he was actually pushed into Saros, Marchand replied: “I don’t know. Does it matter?”
Finland coach Antti Pennanen said he declined to challenge the play because he “was really sure it was a good goal.”
He credited the line of Marchand, Sam Bennett and Tom Wilson for making a difference in a game Finland squandered a 2-0 lead.
“Really good hockey players. It was a huge challenge for us and overall Team Canada,” Pennanen said. “But our players gave everything they had today. I’m so proud of how we played today. It wasn’t enough.”
___
AP Olympic coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics