Nathan MacKinnon calls out Olympic referees for divisive call on Nick Suzuki
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Nathan MacKinnon thought he opened the scoring for Team Canada, but after it was called back, the Canadian star has called out the officials.
The 2026 Olympic Games got underway with the mens hockey on Wednesday, and on Thursday, Team Canada began their tournament with a matchup against the highly underrated Czechia squad.
The first period was a tight one, with Canada believing they'd taken the 1-0 lead on the back of a beautiful shot from Nathan MacKinnon, beating Anaheim's Lukas Dostal in the process.
MacKinnon addresses his goal being taken away
However, the officials called a penalty before the shot was even taken, calling Montreal's Nick Suzuki for a trip, and after the play, MacKinnon addressed the play that saw his first Olympic goal taken off the board.
I actually heard the whistle early, so I knew It was probably coming back… they’re gonna call it tight here. Not sure what the penalty was for beyond that, but it is what it is I guess.
MacKinnon made it clear that he heard the whistle before he took his shot, so he knew it was likely coming back, and even after the first period, he revealed he didn't know what the penalty was for.
While some will argue with the trip call on Suzuki, it was the correct decision, but taking a goal away from the Avalanche superstar certainly wasn't something that made Canadians very happy.
Ultimately, Canada have bounced back and dominated much of this game, and given the way he's played, it won't be the last opportunity for MacKinnon to score in this tournament.
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